


Behind Temple Doors

by TheReluctantHeroine



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Character Development, Emotional Crutches, F/M, Light Angst, Priestesses, Romance, Zuko Angst, courts, sword fights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-05-01 15:26:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 54,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14523597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheReluctantHeroine/pseuds/TheReluctantHeroine
Summary: It is hard enough living with a bounty on her head - a refugee with confidential information known only by the gifted. For Nesta, her ability to see the future was both a bane and a boon to her being. Little did she know that her ancestry stretches far greater than the written accounts.Lost and troubled by the death of her court, the priestess finds a shocking revelation; she can stir energy to her will.Zuko refused to admit it, but maybe they harbored more similarities than that of their differences. As secrets were revealed and courses were altered, they found their fate entwined with the same objective - helping the Avatar.[STARTS AT BOOK 2: EARTH]





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! If you’re new here, welcome! 
> 
> Behind Temple Doors update schedule will be every three days, starting the 19th of May!

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

_“There are secrets that the world has known but its truths have never heard of...”_

* * *

 

It was half-past six when she arrived.

The sun was just starting to set, a glimpse of violets and oranges dipped high upon the towering temple of the city. Its lively nature had always given them vibrant colors in the day - blues so serene, greens so calming, reds and yellows having quite a pop on the eyes. They were from Ba Sing Se after all, and all the majesty of the Earth Kingdom could be seen when the sun is high and in between the clouds. They praised spirits of different origins; a festival for this, an offering for that - every day was a religious event for the people under the king’s command, yet it was the traveling court that had always ensured the spirituality of all things.

From afar, a young lady stroke her harp to the tune of an old folk song. Her ebony locks flowed and ebbed around her as the town children watched her fingers dance gracefully between the strings. Her aura had given off an inviting calm, her gentle face lay relaxed - an expression of hers well known by the villagers.

It had been a year since the gypsy girl had shown up in their village. Her beauty was unmatched and gave an otherworldly feel to everyone who laid eyes on her. Some might insist she could rival those of the high priestesses in looks but no one had proven it true. The religious leaders were always seen hiding their features behind a golden mask, save for their silver hair left loose whenever they made an appearance.

“Nesta.” A child called out, momentarily stopping the woman from playing. A few children groaned at the interruption. They knew that little Iroka had a tendency of rambling. Nesta, being the polite young lady she is, would entertain him without a second thought.

The raven-haired woman looked up, her icy blue eyes breathtaking in every way possible. “What is it, Iroka?” She put down her harp, signaling the end of the performance - her grace amplified in subtle ways. A few kids began shuffling away from the village square knowing perfectly well she will not begin to play again.

The lady watched the young boy fumble about with his handkerchief, pulling out a piece of wood fashioned to look like an amulet. It was small and round with the sun painted in the middle. Nesta smiled as Iroka handed it over, a small blush adorning his face. “Here.” He gulped as the woman put on the necklace. It was plain and ugly, the boy noted, but it still looked divine around her neck. “I heard you were leaving the village, so, I made you a gift.”

"It's beautiful," Nesta said to which Iroka snorted a mocking approval. Both of them shared a giggle, the young lady’s arm finding its way around the boy in a hug. She always felt like the sister he never had. His own father had gone in pursuit to adopt this lady after all - though she rarely showed up when he came looking for her.

“You remind me of the sun.” Iroka sniffed as he clung on to the last remnant of warmth the woman emitted. “Please don’t forget about me.”

“I won’t, I promise.” She pulled away, only to stroke her long luscious locks.

Iroka watched in childish curiosity as she grabbed a chunk of her raven hair. One by one, Nesta skimmed through the strands looking for a particular discoloration. When the woman finally found a piece of silver hair, she plucked it off, tying it around her handkerchief.

“Have you heard of the High Priestess’ power to revisit the past?” She said, twirling the contraption around her fingers. Iroka nodded as Nesta handed it wordlessly. The boy looked at it in confusion. What was he going to do with a piece of cloth tied with a strand? _‘strange’_ The boy thought. Iroka trusted Nesta with many things, however, weird. He pulled at the long strand of hair tied around the cloth. Memories began flooding his mind in an unexpected trance. From the time he met Nesta to the night she had tricked the Fire Nation soldiers with only a harp in hand and face glowing like the spirit of the forest. It replayed their hugs, their stories, his playful admiration...

The ground shook, cutting off Iroka’s reverie.

A carriage twice as large as a house appeared before them. Four camelephants pulled the container and their enormous body took up most of the free space. Villagers flocked to look at the display of the beasts but seem to be more interested in the person commanding them. At the center of the carriage was a woman with silver hair gleaming against the orange of the sunset. Her blue gossamer silk robe adorned with gold beading and an intricate bodice. She must have looked ethereal and spirit-like if it was not for her glow, which seemed to have dulled down since the last appearance.

The High Priestess stood with so much conviction that it sliced through the noisy crowd. Her shoulders were relaxed, hands on her sides and yet she was still intimidating in every sense. Her golden mask lay animatedly on her face, unmoving with no signs of emotion. She raised her finger and pointed at Nesta.

As if the woman had felt fire coursing in her vines, Nesta’s skin reddened profusely. “I need to go, Kairo” A nickname she gave him. “Whatever you’ve witnessed will be our little secret, okay?”

The young boy chased after her. His quick nimble steps no match with her long graceful strides. “But wait-!” His voice had toned down to a whisper. “How did you...the power..?”

Nesta looked back. She raised her palm, black staining the area where her hair had been. Suddenly, all the small details about her had been seen anew by the young boy. It was incomparable - how Nesta glowed like a spirit while the high priestess stood with lack-luster at the back.

“A secret you must not tell.” Her lips pursed into a small smile.

 

 


	2. Foreseen

**FORESEEN**

* * *

_”Although Clairvoyants can be instruments to sight, it is the High Priestess that serves as the direct link to different time channels. The Fire Nation seige unfortunately destroyed their temple and killed a large population of Foreseers. Since then, Foreseers had been forced into exile, a High Priestess now a rarity they sometimes_ _have.”_

_-An account from Cassandra the Entangler’s “The history of the Traveling Courts.”_

* * *

 

“Irresponsible.” The silver-haired woman clicked her tongue. “I told you Fire Nation were spotted in the city, Nesta. You’re still as stubborn as you were when we left Makapu. I should have left you there to join their false rituals.”

Nesta almost scowled at the statement. She whipped her hair to the side, black dye now staining her green robes and then rolled her sleeves upward to serve the tea. However, the aroma of the liquid did nothing to save her from her matron’s rage. “The fortunetellers have their own art. Why do you belittle them so much?” Nesta said as calm as possible, trying not to show her evident pain in those words.

“You’re one of the High Priestesses, your sight is a gift from the spirits - not acquired, not common, coveted. You’re not one of them.” Matron Ida often compared the girl’s gift to the art of bending, sometimes, she would argue that it was even rarer than bending abilities. “Unfortunately, the word had already spread. Fire Nation are hunting our court for confidential information about the comet. It won’t be too soon before the Dai Li will come for us.”

Nesta gulped at the news. It was true that she fell asleep while in one of the religious rituals in Makapu and had dreamt of an encounter with the Sozin’s Comet. The clairvoyants stood mortified as she screamed for the safety of a certain “Aang”, a name she had never heard of. “What can a failing court do to the Fire Lord? We are vulnerable, even with the knowledge of the comet - no one had ever believed in our clairvoyants like the ancients used to do.” The girl nervously reached for the teapot and started pouring herself a cup. She dreaded how her hands would falter when it comes to fear.

“No one but the Fire Lord.” The matron added, hands clenched and teeth gritting against each other. “Mercy will never be an option, not when Ozai’s after you,” Ida noted how the dye on Nesta’s hair stained the clothes she used. _‘A faulty dye job’_ the woman thought. She had to adopt better techniques to properly conceal her identity. No one knew of the secret heir their religious court managed to have. No one knew that she was only sixteen, untrained and had no special bending abilities to keep her safe. In the eyes of many, Nesta was just a servant for the High Priestess.

A servant who had seen visions of her own.

The young girl sighed, exhaustion clearly taking over her. It had been a whole night journey before they reached the new temple they were to reside in, the village slumps were plenty in number - far away from the heart of the city. Nesta refused to move away, but what was there to do? The Fire Nation are after her and Matron Ida is nearing old age. There was no one left to protect her from the possible threat to her life. “You must rest now, Matron. It is getting late. I ensure you; the walls of Ba Sing Se cannot be—“

Just when Nesta was about to finish her sentence, her vision blurred.

A series of images flashed through her mind. A carriage approaching. Red and Black shadows towering over them. Fire. Blood. Matron Ida.

The girl wished she had not seen the last image.

“Fire Nation are trailing us. We need to reroute, quickly!” The teapot that was placed on the table had found a spot on the flooring. Clear liquid pooled around the Matron’s sides, still in the state of shock at the girl’s revelation.

“Call the clairvoyants. We need to-“

The entire carriage halted into a stop. An earpiercing scream was heard, followed by a series of whooshing noises and igniting embers. Metal clashed on metal, the sound only meaning one thing. They felt the whole carriage shake from the impact of clairvoyants being slain left and right. Dying grunts littered the outside, the doors still kept shut from the scene. It won’t be too long until the Fire Nation would break into them. The young priestess’ eyes began to water - her usual reaction to any harm surrounding them.

“Look here, Nesta.” Nesta craned her neck to the direction of the voice. Tears cascaded down her cheek and her hands shook uncontrollably. Amidst the commotion, Matron Ida stood calmly, sleeves still wet from the spilled tea and a satchel clutched in her right palm. Her grey eyes were soft and her face was peaceful - as if she’s seen the events unfolding already. The young priestess hated how her Matron always kept things to herself. “My child, I cannot be with you anymore.”

Nesta furrowed her brows at the words.“What are you talking about? We’re leaving together. There’s not much time!” The priestess grabbed her Matron by the arm and tried to pull her away from the trunk she stood in front of. Ida did not yield.

“I’ve seen every version of the future, and there’s not one where I will survive this encounter.”  The Matron pried her arm away from the now sobbing girl. It was true. Fear enveloped her heart at the vision of her death. Ida could only accept the things that will be done in her lifetime, and so she did - reluctantly at first, but as time progressed and Nesta grew, it became easier. She placed a firm hand on the young priestess’ shoulder.

“Here. Always keep these with you. It will help in the journey.” Ida then proceeded to pull a hidden compartment in the carriage. An ostrich horse waited in the blind side of the village, where the Dai Li had failed to patrol in. “Go. Do not look back until you reach the stables.”

“How can you say those things so casually?" Nesta gazed at the satchel her Matron had given her. She hated how Ida already made peace with the idea of dying. It took the old woman about sixteen years to accept her fate, after all. Now, she was ready to go down fighting for the future of their court.

Matron Ida reached out and squeezed the young lady’s hands. It was already sweaty from being too anxious, but the woman paid no heed. “You will understand.” She looked her in the eye, ashy grey to icy blue, and smiled. It was a melancholic curve of the lips.

For Nesta, seeing a smile on the stoic Matron’s face was enough damage done. The young priestess sobbed as her arms found its ways around the Matron, one of the first and the last hugs she was able to give her.

“The world awaits you...”

The door burst open, revealing a couple of Fire benders beginning to burn down the whole carriage. Ida pushed the girl deeper into the compartment, one hand commanding the flames to encircle their enemies while the other pulled down the lever to close the small door.

That night, the young priestess never looked back. Not even when the clairvoyants lay dying. Not even when her Matron was surrounded by bandits. Not even when the wind slapped painfully against her face and her tears had already dried down. She rode the ostrich horse to the ends of nowhere, searching for a safe place to hide.

Nesta never looked back, knowing that the sight she left behind will haunt her forever.


	3. Remnants of War

**REMNANTS OF WAR**

* * *

  _Zeitu, the spirit of time, eventually got tired of humans crossing the spirit world just to find out about their future. She lured a small group of righteous women and endowed them with the ability of sight. Golden masks and blue gossamer silk, the usual outfits of the Foreseers, were fashioned in honor of the spirit. Since then, Zeitu slept in peace inside her own time paradox._

_-“Zeitu and her High Priestesses” from the book “Spiritual Interventions.”_

* * *

 

Iroh thought it was a lovely day to go shopping.

He heard about an apothecary located near the south wing; a small hut that sold exotic brews and mountain herbs to weary travelers and village folk alike. It was about a kilometer away from Iroh’s apartment - a tedious walk that involved various reroutes because of the recent sighting of a dangerous bandit group. The old man already felt the toll of a long walk as his legs ached and his feet were anything but numb. He was aging after all. An evident reminder was his nephew Zuko’s constant bickering about double shifts he took in lieu of his uncle. The boy did it begrudgingly, but at least, he still did it. Iroh had left their home while the young man was still sleeping. It would be considerably easier to walk when the heat of the sun wasn’t beating on his back. Daybreak came, the sky a mixture of vibrant blues and yellow, when one of his merchant friends offered to serve some tea.

“Ah, Woun. Have you got any news for me?” Iroh thanked the man as he handed a steaming cup of ginseng brew. The old man took a long sip, sighing contently as the tea warmed his throat.

Woun frowned at the question. “Only bad ones, Mushi.”

“There’s nothing worst than bland tea, we both know that.” The old man smiled at the memory of the tea blend he first tasted at the shop. He was glad the owner had agreed to let him enjoy creative liberty in the brews. “Go ahead, I guess it’s just the usual man complaining about his cabbages again.” Iroh let out a hearty laugh, to which fell short at the sight of Woun’s frown.

“No. It’s... really grim this time.” The merchant gulped, words stuck in his throat. He knew of the affiliation Mushi had with the Foreseers. They were often the subject of most of his tea brewing stories and the kind leader of the court, Matron Ida, was one of his dear friends. The news of the manslaughter had not sat well with Woun. He was afraid of Mushi’s reaction, the younger tea master never knew how the old man would react to slaughter. “Bandits killed a traveling court and burned all their corpses.”

Uncle Iroh stopped mid-sip. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips formed a small frown. Woun suddenly regretted imparting the knowledge he knew. “What traveling court?” Iroh put his cup down, his full attention now directed towards the other tea brewer.

Woun’s voice turned solemn. “Foreseers. All the clairvoyants were killed in the encounter.”

The old man eyes widened at the news. His mouth hung open, and his posture turned tensed. Iroh’s mind revisited the memory of Matron Ida sharing her knowledge about potions and brews. He was lucky to have known the Matron while the court was still buzzing with life and recovering from the Fire Nation attack. However, those who were gifted with sight had become a rarity. The Matron disclosed the information of the last Foreseer, though she never said who. “How about the Matron? Ida, how is she?”.

Woun sighed. He knew the old man would ask about her. “Dead, too.”

It was impossible, Ida was one of the most skillful Fire benders he had stumbled upon. Her blood ran deep with wisdom and power that could rival gurus. She was a Foreseer - she should have known when she could have died.

Unless... the Matron knew time was up.

It was a fair conclusion. Most of the High Priestesses can’t live past fifty years old. For those who do live past their lifespan, their sight dies first and their body becomes brittle. “Death came too soon. May her soul and all that died with her be welcomed to their palace in the spirit world.”

Just when Woun was about to share another piece of his thoughts, a loud scream was heard from a near by shop. Both men turned to look at the direction of the voice. Mushi gestured to check it out while the other man nodded his head in approval. A crowd was just beginning to form when another scream echoed through out the streets. This time, it was much more unbearable than the first.

An angry shop owner charged at a young woman — about sixteen — with muted black hair and rugged clothing. The hem of her once basic green dress was ripped on the edges and her face was thick with dirt. She was beaten and dirty in every sense yet there was something hauntingly strange about the girl which made the town folks alive with quiet chatter. Behind the muck that littered her body were icy blue eyes, the brightest of blues, staring deeply within the old man’s soul. The angry man struck her with a stick. The girl raised her hands to protect herself from the wood the owner held, her body recoiling just before the blow met her.

That’s when Iroh saw it.

It was hard not to miss. The mark of the traveling court of Foreseers was engraved on her arm, a swirling beasts of tattoos, exposed for the world to see. It was an old tradition practiced by the High Priestesses. Only few knew of the markings, the thought clear with the ignorance of the crowd. However, the danger that accompanies the tattoos was still there. Without hesitation, the old man hurriedly stepped in between the angry shop owner and the girl, his ankle receiving the impact of the stick that was about to hit the young lady.

Iroh winced and then bowed at the stunned man. He thought of an explanation, something believable, to avoid arising issues. “I’m so sorry my niece bothered you. She ran away from home and I was looking for her.” The shop owner seemed convinced as he let out a series of cusses while he retreated back to his shop. The crowd begun shuffling away, returning to their daily lives, ignoring the two strangers involved in the ruckus. Some of them stayed a little longer, not because they wanted to check if the girl is okay, but because of how the young woman’s strange aura caught their curiosity. It won’t be too long until the people will lose interest in her. For now, Iroh had to steer her to somewhere safe.

“Do you need a hand, young woman?” Iroh presented his arm for the girl to grab. She was skeptical - it was evident on the way her wild icy blue eyes scanned the old man. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”

There was hesitation in the action, the girl’s delicate hand twitching as it drew near. Finally, the young woman let out a tired sigh as she reached out to accept the man’s help. When their palms brushed against each other, a jolt of energy forcibly pushed against her mind. Images began conjuring in a fuzzy haze.

 

* * *

 

 “Priestess, General Iroh requests your presence.”

A woman in her late fourties turned to look at the approaching figure. Her long silver hair glistened in the morning daylight and her skin glowed under the sun’s rays. Small wrinkles barely littered her face, her stance firm, her strides graceful - No one would have suspected that this woman came from a life time of war. There were scars left to prove, however, hidden.

“Good Morning, General Ida.” Iroh removed his helm and bowed at the sight of the woman. It’s been five years since her sister’s passing and three since Ida left the army. She clicked her tongue - a habit of hers. Ida grabbed the prince by the collar of his tunic and forced Iroh to look at her in the eye.

“What do you want?” She said between gritted teeth. Her calm composure long gone.

The clairvoyant that accompanied Iroh stood nervously as the scene unfolded. Treating the crown prince that way can be punishable by death through scorching. They knew of the unspoken tension between the two. They were childhood friends after all, though time had withered their relationship. They have both gone their separate ways; one who seeks redemption through peace and the other who seeks honor through war - two sides of the coin. Despite that, they were never seen on the same playing field.

“You know what I want, I know you’ve already read my thoughts.” Iroh’s gaze was burning with passion. He spoke with absolute calm - the kind of calm that you never expected to harbor so much power. Ida knew he was set for Ba Sing Se that year, she also knew about the questions he planned to ask. She had read it from his mind. Mind reading - a curse she had to live with.

Ida gestured for the clairvoyant to leave, which the man quickly did so. The High Priestess then shifted her attention to Iroh. “You want information about Ba Sing Se.” It was more of a statement than a question.

Iroh took a step forward. “Precisely, and maybe I’ll consider your offer.”

“Excuse me?” Ida was taken a back with the statement. She had never bargained with the crown prince.

The man smiled deviously at the priestess. “Training the non-bender heir, I heard you were looking for someone to be her combat teacher since you’re nearing the end of your lifespan.”

Ida fumed, her hands were clenched beneath the long, asymmetrical sleeves of her dress. He had found out about the heir. Somehow, one of her teachers had betrayed her. “My offer was never extended to you.”

“What will your pilgrims say if they found out that their High Priestess was once a general for the Fire Nation? Hm. I guess you wouldn’t be warmly welcomed anymore.“ Behind those gentle eyes and soft tone was a man fueled by crooked intent. There were a few times he was shown to be righteous, however, that righteousness was only to preserve the culture of Fire Nation and nothing else. A true war leader - Iroh knew how to manipulate the odds to his will.

“You will not tell them!” Flames danced dangerously at the tip of her fingers. Iroh still took a step forward, unnerved, challenging the woman to spill her knowledge.

“So tell me, what have you read from the Earth Kingdom’s General?”

The High Priestess paused for a second. After the court appointed her as the High Priestess, her past had always been one of her weaknesses. She was afraid that Iroh might taint the townsfolk’s trust in her. Ida cannot do anything but obliged. She quickly skimmed through the fibers of time, creating a record which she mentally checked one by one. It was easier to imagine time as an archive with a series of collections. That way, the priestess can organize all the possible events that can happen in a span of years. “There are new soldiers stationed at the east wing of the outer wall. They came from wealthy families and are only there to serve community service. Tear down their walls at sundown.”

“Good. I’ll be back to collect some information about my new trainee.” Iroh began walking away from the priestess.“After I conquer Ba Sing Se, that is.”

Ida fought the urge to tell the future that awaits Iroh. An Image of Lu Ten clouded her mind. The crown prince’s beloved son - slain, as Ozai took the opportunity to kill Azulon. “If you do this.” A warning. “You will be faced with grief, and your brother will rejoice in it.”

“Do you think I care about grief and happiness? Only a man who has not step foot in the battlefield will bow down to those. You know that too well.” Ida shook her head. She knew he will be back soon. The priestess prayed that his eventual loss may guide his journey and not the other way around.

 

* * *

 

The girl shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“You knew her.” She said as both of them started walking. Strange stares were directed at them, but the old man paid no heed. He knew the girl’s appearance was distracting the crowd. She was dirty and famished - save for the fact that the girl’s appearance was blessed with the beauty of Zeitu. The young woman’s mouth watered as her nose was greeted by the delicious aroma of stew. She clutched her stomach, staring longingly at the heated pot of food.

The old man noticed her. “You must be hungry.” Iroh paused to look at the beef stew a small hut was serving. He gestured for two bowls: one for him and one for the young lady beside him. Iroh offered the girl a seat as they waited for their order. “I know you miss Ida’s cooking as much as I do. We’ll find you clean clothes after, for now, let’s eat.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I owe her.” Iroh revisited his moments as a traveler; how the traveling court had helped him cope up with Lu Ten’s death with the knowledge of teas and potions and how this knowledge had shaped him to who he was today. “and besides, Ida and I were childhood friends. You read it in my mind, right?”

The girl nodded, a pleasant feeling fluttering in her stomach. She knew it was too early for her to trust anyone. The priestess can’t help it though, it was hard not to trust Iroh. She pushed away the flashback she just witnessed and focused on the food currently served in front of her. Still, a frightening thought crossed her mind...

Nesta never knew which was worse - the fact that this gentle old man was once the crown prince of the Fire Nation or the knowledge of her Matron’s past affiliation with the army, the very people that killed her.

The girl just hoped that the Fire Nation weren’t able to track her down.

 


	4. Bitter Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! just wanted to thank you for all the love and support!
> 
> As of now, there’s 92 hits, 13 kudos, 2 bookmarks and I really thank you for taking the time to read my story.
> 
> I also thank those who’ve commented. I love you so much guys! Here’s the next chapter :)

**BITTER BEGINNINGS**

* * *

_“The future will always cast a shadow before them. The past, however, are the things they didn’t saw coming. ”_

* * *

 

There were Fire Nation in Ba Sing Se.

It was a wild thought, though it was also something likely to happen. The villagers were convinced the death of the traveling court had been a bandit raid - a suspicion now widely accepted as the truth since most of the criminal cases nowadays involved torches and burnt bodies. Zuko knew better than to settle with that. He had stumbled upon the crime scene while looking for his uncle, still fresh from the Dai Li dusting off clues for the bandits. The prince noticed the slashes burrowed deep within the unburnt trees. No non-bender can accurately carve that with an accidental fire.

They must have robbed an Earth Kingdom traveler ticket.

Zuko sighed. He had plenty of time to worry about that later. First, Uncle Iroh.

The young man took his time searching for Iroh. Not only did he have to work double shifts, his uncle also was kind enough to tire him some more with this relentless search. The roads were long and winding, it was almost midnight when the prince returned. His voice was hoarse from asking questions and his muscles screamed and complained for rest. There was still no sight of Iroh. Maybe it was foolish for him to go looking for the old man, knowing perfectly well he would come back. Zuko couldn’t help it though; trouble was Iroh’s favorite companion. With another exhausted sigh, the prince opened the door to their apartment.

The scent of wildflower brew and earthly herbs surprised his nostrils. The young man momentarily recoiled, his eyes shut tight and his teeth clenched. It wasn’t like the smell was offensive, it just overwhelmed him. He felt the aroma wrapping around his throat to which he had tried to cough out. Iroh stood unfazed as he watched his nephew slide out of his coughing fit.

“Ah. The herbs are too strong. My nephew wouldn’t react otherwise.” Zuko frowned at his uncle’s remark. After he tired himself looking for him, this was what he got in return?

“I guess you’re right, Mr. Iroh. It wouldn’t be good for your customers.” The prince furrowed his brows and crinkled his nose in annoyance. Was that a girl’s voice? Maybe it was another of those lying tea maids that were too friendly for their own good. Wild golden eyes fluttered open as he scanned the perimeter for the familiar robes of those gypsies. What greeted him was a sight he had not expected.

The girl was a stark contrast against the gray walls of their apartment. She had a small, petite frame matched with angelic features - an undeniable earthly beauty. Her cheeks were rosy, skin sun-kissed and her stature obviously belonged to an aristocratic house. There were small signs of malnutrition, evident with how her too sharp cheek bones protruded and how her average earth kingdom robes hugged her slim waist. However, it was not her beauty that tickled Zuko’s curiosity. The young girl’s hair was a spectacular silver, a trait the prince had only seen once behind temple doors. “Oh. Nesta, this is my nephew Prince Zuko.”

Zuko frowned as he raised his brows at the honorific his uncle used. He approached the two, curious eyes still fixated on the young woman. That’s when the prince realized that Iroh addressed him with his real name rather than the “Lee” he was used to. He immediately grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her closer in a menacing way. Nesta’s eyes widened as a muffled scream escaped her lips. “Who are you?” Zuko’s voice was a whisper in the silence of the night.

As soon as the young man’s hand yanked her arm, her mind revisited a distant memory the prince had. There was fire everywhere. People surrounded a small stadium - spectating, waiting for something the girl didn’t know or understand. In the middle of the place stood a boy, begging for his father to forgive him. Nesta watched as the scene played out. It was too late when the girl realized that it was actually Zuko who was on his knees. A line of fire came shooting at him, it sizzled and burned, and then found its home on his left eye.

“Stop!” Both of them screamed. Nesta was pushed aside by the prince. She fell to the floor, her bottom embracing the impact. Her legs were grazed with a sharp nail embedded on the table but the girl paid no heed. Blood dripped from the slice as she whimpered her apology. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t control it. I-“

“What did you do?” Zuko screamed as he clutched his left eye. The nonexistent pain made him confused and angry of the situation they were in. His fists pounded against the counter as he summoned fire with his fingertips. He wanted answers. How was she able to trigger his past and how much does she know about him? Zuko knelt in front of her. He drew the flame closer to the young woman’s now tear-stained face. “Whoever you are, you are not welcome here.” He said through gritted teeth.

Nesta tried to remain calm as she felt the heat of the fire. She saw in crisp clarity how Zuko’s scar did not properly heal and now she knew why it pains him so. There was a sense of pity overcoming her fear. It was hard to ignore the internal conflict that the boy had. The actions that led him to this very moment were all puzzles that he wished he knew about. She had felt it. It was deep within him. In instinct, Nesta reached for the scar. Zuko was surprised at first. He watched as the girl’s eyes softened visibly, a breathtaking blue, yet nothing in her enticed him. She was still a threat to their safety, no matter vulnerable she looked. Golden eyes trailed the movement, and firm hands were ready to stop her fingertips, not before Uncle Iroh’s voice boomed throughout the room.

“Zuko! Behave yourself!” The old man reprimanded. Zuko inched back a few steps, now assuming a sitting position, eyes still burning with fury. He had thought about the girl’s actions, how helpless and hurt she looked at the sight of his scar. No, she wouldn’t understand. “Deep breaths child, calm down.” The priestess watched as the boy closed his eyes reluctantly and started to breathe in front of her. Iroh saw it as an opportunity to check on the girl.

“Are you okay?” The old man asked, his eyes trailing the long bleeding cut on her leg. The dress he bought was ripped, a clean slice starting from the hem to an inch above the knee. Nesta pulled herself together and stood up. She struggled a bit but still managed. “W-Wha! You’re hurt!”

“I’ve seen worse.” was the girl’s reply. She examined her Earth Kingdom robes and felt a hint of guilt as she remembered Iroh bought it for her. “I ruined the dress, though.” Her attention was still fixated on the boy who seemed to have calmed down. She had heard some rumors about a banished Fire Nation Prince that roamed nations. Nesta never expected that she would meet him in Ba Sing Se, though. He seemed to be younger than she thought and... very much conflicted.

“Well, we’ll buy you hair dye tomorrow. We can sneak in a few copper pieces for a new dress. I’m so sorry, my nephew he’s just-“

“How can I concentrate if both of you are whispering about dresses and beauty products!” The boy growled from his position. Nesta didn’t know why she found it funny, the way the boy was aggravated with just the little things. The girl scoffed to hide the impending laughter that wanted to burst out of her mouth. She tried coughing it out but the prince heard of the mocking undertone it possessed. “What?!” Zuko spat.

Nesta gulped. “Nothing.”

“Zuko, stop scaring her. Do you know the High Priestesses have the power to scare you even more?” From his position, Iroh saw the young man’s golden eyes widen at the revelation. It was a joke, but he guessed Zuko took it the other way.

“High Priestess?” The prince stood up, glaring at the woman whom Iroh addressed. He remembered the scene he had encountered while looking for his uncle. If memory serves him right, he heard that no one survived the incident. “I thought they were all killed in the raid?”

Nesta was silent for a moment, somber, mourning - how quick was she to forget about the life she once lived. Blue eyes peeked at the two men, now staring at her, as if she owed them an explanation. She avoided thinking about their court as much as possible. The emotional wounds were still fresh and bleeding. It didn’t help one bit. “I was kept a secret.”

There was a sad edge to her voice. Iroh didn’t pry her for information on their way here. He knew it made her feel uncomfortable. The general was accustomed to the thought of a beloved’s death altering one’s bodily functions, both mentally and physically. There was no point of asking if Nesta refused to answer. Those questions made her feel guilty of happiness and of living while her people were already dead.

The elephant in the room must be addressed somehow. “It’s complicated but I do hope you understand I can’t control the things I see. I saw what will happen with Sozin’s Comet. I never knew the price was the death of my whole court.

Nesta felt a comforting pressure on her shoulder. She turned to look at the old man, who stared at her with eyes filled with determination and life. How she wished her icy blues would mirror his. “Her Matron asked me a few years ago to teach her the art of combat. That’s why she’s here.” They both looked at Zuko who was not taking in the information well.

The young man crossed his arms. His face remained blank as his eyes still stared at a space in front of them. The expression he had was unreadable, but Iroh knew what was on his nephew’s mind. He then averted his attention to uncle Iroh. “If you keep on housing dangerous refugees, you’re going to get us all killed.” Without another word, Zuko turned his heel and proceeded to his room. “I’m going to bed.”

The two watched as the young man retreated into the shadows, a knowing look plastered on Nesta’s face. “You must forgive my nephew.” Iroh broke the silence.

“I understand.” Nesta could only muster such, even though she wasn’t so sure about what she knew about the young prince.

However, one thought was clear to all of them, Zuko saw her as a threat.


	5. Scars barely Healed

**SCARS BARELY HEALED**

* * *

  _Many had tried to call upon Zeitu, yet all their pleas had never reached her ears. Some say the spirit will only respond to a clear cry in the woods - a voice strong enough to wake her up in her paradox._

_\- a footnote from “Spiritual Interventions.”_

* * *

 

It was too early to be awake.

Iroh and Nesta started their trek about four in the morning, right before the noisy possum chicken had the chance to rattle them awake. The night was just beginning to fade - there were already signs of sunlight seeping through the sky in long beams. Even though it was a good time for walking, the duo still took a train to the outside of the wall where a mysterious zoo was established on rocky terrain. The walk there would have been far, but the hike was short-lived, they reached a small patch of elevated ground with a single tree in just a few minutes.

Peaceful was one way to describe the atmosphere surrounding it. Melancholic was another. If Nesta found this sight way before her court was annihilated, she wouldn’t feel this way. There was remorse at the thought of the clairvoyants who would love to take the time to meditate on this rocky hills, their chi must have flowed like the dark sky - infinite.

“You worry.” Uncle Iroh snapped her out of the trance. An apologetic curve of the lips found its way on her face. Nesta took in the aroma of the tea the old man was currently brewing. She raised her brow at the weird herb native to only the beaches of Ember Island. “I’m afraid their death still haunts you.”

“It’s been a week, and I’m not the one to forgive myself so easily.” Nesta watched as Iroh added weird spices to the concoction. She noted how the water swirled green and then turned violet before settling to a rich dark red. It was truly red - red like the blood of her people slain in the encounter. Nesta stared at the peaceful old man brewing their tea. She could not bring herself to hate him. He had done so much for her in just a span of a day. Maybe it was his way to mend the hole his evil brother had punctured deep within her.

The girl’s eyes widened. She was surprised at the train of thoughts her mind relinquished in. Nesta never knew that Iroh was the Fire Lord’s older brother but somehow... she saw. She saw it in the snippets of memories replayed at their first encounter. It had unconsciously entered her system without registry.

“The only fault that you are to blame is the ignorance of your gift.” Iroh handed her a steaming cup of the concoction. The girl reluctantly accepted, bowing before holding the cup of tea in a way the heated part would not touch her skin. She sighed shamefully at the revelation Iroh made. It was true. “You cannot control your power. It was as if Ida had never told you about mental blocks.”

“She did. I was just... preoccupied that time.” Iroh took a long sip of the tea and smiled at the refreshing taste of the extract. Nesta, however, immediately dreaded the remnants of the concoction. It tasted metallic and gruel. It tasted like blood. “What the skies was that?!” She tried wiping away the taste on her tongue. Her dark training sleeves stained red at the action.

“Tidallise extract.” Iroh presented the empty cup. “The taste depends on how you perceive the liquid. You can only taste its true flavor if your mind is clear of how you interpret the richness of its red.” Iroh rejoiced in the fact that the apothecary was ignorant of those rare herbs. He bought it for only a copper piece when the price is truly gold!

Nesta gulped at the words. She knew she had drank something close to blood. It was her mind playing tricks on her. “How is this supposed to help with combat practice?”

The old man laughed as he emptied the contents of his second cup. “You can’t concentrate with that dread in you. You must master your sight first. It is your most valuable asset.” Iroh put his cup down and assumed a meditating position. He patted the space next to him to which Nesta had struggled to come to. Her mind was fuzzy from the drink and her fingers were shaking uncontrollably. “Mental barriers tumble down when overwhelmed with emotions. I see the recent death of your court had ruined your block. That’s why you’re seeing stranger’s pasts here and there.”

“Okay, we’re taking three shallow breaths and at the fourth, take a very deep breath. Hold it for a few seconds.” Iroh demonstrated how it should be done. There were quick successions of breathing and then one long inhalation. He then released it with such power in his lungs. ‘ _Peaceful, too peaceful_ ’ Nesta thought.“and then state all the things that pains you. This triggers your mental capacity to block out the things you cannot control. You can do it as much as you like.” Iroh turned to look at the young girl, who sat terrified in her seat.

“You are my student now, Nesta. Everything I do is for your sake.” The old man added with a gentle pat on the shoulder.

The young woman sighed. “Okay.” She mimicked Iroh’s action and then released her breath at the fourth one. Every time she took the last breath, she always hesitated. Nesta was afraid to face the reality of her situation. Her eyes fluttered awake, the cold wind of the night sky embracing her in its arms. It was as if they willed her to say something. It was an inaudible whisper against the breeze, but her master had heard the things she said, though reluctantly. “I couldn’t save them... _Zeitu, redushna en meshi qes._ ” It was an ancient incantation - the cry of help.

Just as the girl had finished chanting the words, her back arched and her lips parted in pain. The silver of her hair dazzled Iroh as it glowed and shimmered in the darkness of the morning. It was a show of pastel pinks, greens and blues as the strands of her hair danced to the silent melody of time. She looked ethereal - a mortal who shared the gift of the spirit. The old man scrambled back to a place where the light did not hurt his eyes. He blinked a few times before noticing the apparition that formed in front of the lady. It was a mesmerizing sight; the tiny fibers of Nesta’s tattoos that disintegrated and formed a being of ancient time; Zeitu.

One way or another, Nesta’s pain was so severe that the spirit of time was awakened from her own paradox. She was her last living priestess, after all.

“My child.” Her voice was soothing and her words was like a river in the mind. Long and running, flowing and ebbing - it was some sort of a lullaby that can put anyone to sleep. “Why does it pain you so?” Her golden face was soft and angelic, the blue of her gossamer dress shined like moonlight in the morning.

“Zeitu... I couldn’t save the court. I’m the only one left... I-“ The spirit inched closer, her golden hand barely touching the forehead of the young woman.

“They knew what was coming.” Nesta shivered as her mind traveled through Zeitu’s paradox. She saw with her own eyes the kingdom that awaited the clairvoyants at their death. It was pure and lively, the night bleeding in with the morning and small mountains decorated the place. A few clairvoyants lay contented as they meditate while a few read scrolls too valuable for the mortal world.

At the heart of the kingdom was a beautiful temple. There was a celebration. For a fleeting moment, she saw her Matron being welcomed in the arms of the High Priestesses. They were happy. Nesta didn’t want to cry. She had enough of that for the past few days. The vision then panned to a small pond located at the outskirts of the temple. In the water, as crisp and clear as a mirror, Nesta saw herself - kneeling, talking to Zeitu. “You are the vision; the one whom they saw repeatedly for a hundred years. The time has finally come.”

Nesta opened her eyes to ask a few more questions, but before the words could leave her lips, Zeitu was gone. She looked around. The sun was beginning to shine and her surroundings bathed in the color of blues and oranges. The morning breeze was getting warmer and the tea set that Iroh prepared was cold against the dewy grass. Nesta stared at her still shaking hands, and then shifted her attention to the empty space around her. “Zeitu?” Her words lay flat on empty ears. The young girl was startled when the bush beside the tree began moving.

“Ah.” Uncle Iroh emerged from the bushes, new leaves in hand. “I’m sorry. You fell asleep while you were meditating so I thought I could gather some new tea herbs!” A lie. He had seen everything that happened. Iroh smiled as wide as he can. He tried to look enthusiastic as he examined the leaves, which are obviously bushes. Not that Nesta knew.

The girl looked around once more. _‘No one saw, Nesta.’_ She heaved a deep sigh as the woman stared at the leaves Iroh was fussing about. The young girl tried to hold in her laughter. “Those are bushes, Mr. Iroh.”

Iroh feigned the look of surprise. “Wha! Oh my, my bad.” He discarded the leaves with just one flick of his hand. Iroh approached his student and gently grabbed Nesta by the arm. She jerked away, expecting new memories to flood her mind, but to no avail. Both of them stared at each other with a dumbfounded look.

“Well, I guess you have temporary mental barriers now. You still have to renew them every day.” Iroh recalled Zeitu’s hands on Nesta’s forehead. The spirit must have forged a mental barrier while speaking to her. Unfortunately, a surge of strong emotion might break it. If that so happens, the girl has to rebuild it on her own.

Nesta smiled, a wide smile. A beautiful laugh blossomed in between her lips - soft flurries woven into some sort of melody. It was something that Iroh could get used to hearing. However, her laughter was short-lived as the young woman clutched her heart. It was only then did the priestess realize she was truly alone. There were no more priestesses to guide her, no more clairvoyants to teach her, no more temples to reside in. It was a cruel fate that Nesta had to face. She was lost, the thought of the future imprinted in her mind. ‘the one they saw repeatedly for a hundred years’ what did it mean? A strong longing for her court dawned upon her.

“I hope I can get used to this pain.” The old man offered his hand for her to stand up. She gladly accepted.

“You never get used to pain. You just learn to live with it.” Iroh admitted, a distant look on his face. Nesta noticed how wisdom had changed Iroh. She saw the differences in her memories, however, she didn’t look deep enough to know why it had come to this. Iroh was happier though, that was something the priestess appreciated. She wondered about the strength it took for Iroh to finally move on from his son’s death. Nesta wished she was brave enough to make the jump, just like the old man did. Maybe, one day, she’ll get to confront her demons. “You’ll manage.”

For now, she smiled at her new mentor. The things she’ve always thought were too painful was seen anew. She had to focus on preparing herself for whatever reason her Matron had conjured. It was for the best.

Iroh drew in another attempt to lighten the mood. “Come now, Nesta. We have to get back before Zuko awakens! He might be in an awfully cranky mood again.” Zuko can go destroy the entirety of the apartment for all she cares. Nesta looked forward to all the practices and trainings that are about to happen. She’ll never admit it to herself but maybe starting from the bottom wasn’t so bad after all.

Somehow, it made her feel close to home.


	6. The Prince and the Priestess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> I’m really struggling with my writing style. I feel like it’s too much rambling? Or is it just fine? I might delete some paragraphs here and there and I would really appreciate some feedback with the style I’m using. Same goes to Nesta, what do you think of her so far? Thank you in advance!
> 
> Also, Thank you for all the support for this story! We’re at 100 hits now! Wow! You’re amazing guys <3

**THE PRINCE AND THE PRIESTESS**

* * *

 Zuko stared scornfully at the shop owner and his uncle.

His apron was wet from the water and his palms coarse from scrubbing the dirty cups and utensils. He didn’t know when he had succumbed to this kind of life - a royal who served strangers that were better off working than sipping boiled leaves in this tea house. He understands why they had to stay undercover and how they successfully did so. The Dai Li were best at keeping people silent of the war. It was a sketchy business but Zuko and Iroh managed to stay hidden under their watch. However, with the temple girl now in tow and working for the tea shop, it was hard to stay unnoticed.

“Well, she can go flirt with all the customers for all I care.” The prince mocked as he began cleaning the knives his uncle used. The shop owner swooned at the sight of the young woman and was more than happy to accept her as their receptionist. Soon enough, a hefty number of people came in swarming for what they call “the best tea with the finest women.” Zuko scowled at the statement. It made him work twice as plenty as yesterday’s opening.

“Do you need help with that?” A head of now raven hair peeked at the door way. The prince dreaded every waking moment he had to face with the girl. Nimble footsteps came to approach his figure - calm, unbothered, nonchalant.

Zuko’s voice sliced into the silence. “No. I’m perfectly fine. Go away.”

“Are you sure?” Nesta hesitated for a second. She stopped mid-step and was about to turn around, not before she saw how Zuko was handling the knives. He was cleaning it towards the sharper edge, palms dangerously close to slicing. “You’re scrubbing the knife with the wrong side.”

The prince furrowed his brows. “I know what I’m doing. Can you just leave me be for a second and let me finish.” Zuko then proceeded to vigorously scrub at the sharper edge. His muscles were all tensed, his annoyance hidden beneath the fake concentration he was showing. ‘Who does she think she is?!’ Zuko screamed in his mind.

The priestess’ eyes widened. “Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself!” She reached for the young man’s arm and tried to yank it away. Zuko, upon remembering the event that transpired yesterday, rebelled against the force. His hands collided with the sink, the knife slicing a clean cut in his palm. Both of them stared in horror as blood gushed out of the wound.

Zuko was the first to break the silence. “What the-! Look what you did!” He immediately tried cleaning it off with tap water but to no avail. The blood flowed like the very liquid in the sink.

“Why me?! You’re the one not listening!” Nesta fumed. Zuko struggled against her grasp, the prince turning away from the girl who continuously pulled him towards her. “let- me see-!”

In that moment, he knew he had enough. “Here! If you’re so great then do what needs to be done!”

The priestess growled, momentarily releasing her hold on the boy’s hands. “Why are you so angry?”

“Why are you so annoying?”

“Well, I’m not the one who’s screaming all the time!”

Zuko was about to retort when Pao’s voice interrupted their heated exchange. “Nesta! Lee! What are you guys fussing about?” The prince scoffed as he pointed at the lady beside him.

Nesta replied, a bitter edge to her tone. “Lee hurt himself.”

The shop owner glanced at Iroh who sported an apologetic gaze towards him. With an exhausted sigh, he addressed the two kids with a reprimanding frown. “Tone it down a little bit, will you?”

“Yes, sir.” They both said in unison. Nesta was the first to look away.

Zuko watched as the girl started to skim through the shelves that contained tea leaves. The names were foreign to the prince, so he didn’t bother when the girl read the labels and explained what a herb is used for. “Aha!” She had picked out a dusty canister and unscrewed the lid. It contained a violet flower which was surprisingly, still fresh. “Here. It will stop the bleeding.”

Zuko stared at it for a few seconds. He didn’t know what to do with it exactly. The boy averted his attention to Nesta, who only cocked a brow in return. Zuko plucked a petal from the flower and then proceeded to put it inside his mouth. “No, don’t eat it!”

The petal went flying out of his lips in a matter of seconds. “What am I supposed to do, then?!”

Nesta rolled her eyes at the prince. The flower was snatched off Zuko’s palms immediately, the young woman flaring her nostrils at the lack of basic herb knowledge Zuko had. To think he works in a tea shop! “Sometimes, you just got to use your common sense.” It was really not meant to ridicule him.The boy growled at the comment, but soon enough was replaced by a muffled half-cry.

Nesta crushed the flower with her fingers and then smeared the extract on the wound. She knew it would sting but she didn’t bother giving a heads up to the prince. Well, it’s his fault he got hurt in the first place. The young woman turned to look at Zuko - his eyes were shut tight and lips sealed as if he was going to faint. “We need something to wrap it with.”

Zuko glared at the woman as he undid his belt.

The young woman grinned at the fabric. “Resourceful.” She began wrapping the belt around Zuko’s palm. It was a painfully slow process, since the silk belt refused to stay in place. It would slip in and out and Nesta would say something beneath her breath when that happened. There were some words that Zuko thought a priestess was never allowed to say. Well, she was still a teenager after all.

“Why are you talking to me.” Zuko said out of the blue as Nesta finally fastened the belt. He flexed his fingers, trying out the tightness of the fabric around his palm.

Nesta raised a neat brow. “I’m not sure I understand.”

Zuko momentarily averted his gaze to the owner and his uncle. They seemed to be engrossed with their conversation. He lowered his voice to a considerable tone. Golden eyes burning with fury and something much more gentle - confusion. “My father killed your court. Why aren’t you mad at me? It’s frustrating.”

Nesta was about to laugh at the young man’s analogy but immediately swallowed her laughter when she realized that the boy was dead serious. “Do you want me to be mad at you?”

Zuko stayed silent as she awaited her reply.  
  
Nesta sighed. “As far as I know you’re not the one who killed my Matron.” The young girl took a step back, the space between them suddenly turned suffocating. “Besides, I don’t believe in family connections. Well, our court never believed in them anyway.” A sad thought, but it was the reality Nesta lived in. She never had a father or a mother; the closest thing to family was Matron Ida but her connection with her was somehow distant also. Their court believed a person is an individual unit. They are entitled to their own good or bad deed. “A father’s fault is not his son’s.”

“How will I know you won’t be plotting murder behind our back?” It was another growl from the prince; a sound Nesta should be used to by now. Zuko took a step forward, his body now dangerously close, eyes fixed at the retreating figure.

Nesta placed her hands in front of her as she tried to put some space in between them. She craned her neck to the other side, just to avoid the heated glare that was directed at her. “Look, I don’t know how to even properly gut a possum chicken and you’re assuming I’m going to kill you?”

“Poison. You’re good at herbs.” Zuko grabbed the empty canister beside him and then crushed it with his palms. It sizzled and burned as the metal hit the floor. The priestess was quick to step on the flames forming on the wooden flooring. Nesta stood mortified as the sound of the aluminum resounded through out the small place they stood in. A black mark now stained the middle of the kitchen.

The priestess wasn’t amused, not one bit. “I am not going to murder you!” Nesta forcibly pushed the boy away from her causing Zuko to tumble back to the sink. The young woman returned his glare with a deep frown. Her fists were balled and her teeth were now clenched as she spoke. He was playing so dangerously close towards the line. For whatever reason Zuko thought Nesta was insane enough to murder the people who she should be thankful of, it was petty.

“Your father took away something valuable to me, and he took away something valuable to you. Murder doesn’t fix murder, not when you’re also a victim. You would have realized by now that he’s not the forgiving type.” She managed to get her point across with a hushed voice. For a moment, Nesta almost forgot that they were in a public place. Her eyes were fixated at the boy’s scar - a mess of tissue that tainted his face.

There was silence between them, both locked in a heated staring contest. “Lee, Nesta. We have to go!” Iroh called from the serving area, urging them to move faster.

“Just a second!” Nesta shouted back, her voice unnaturally chirpy than she looked. The girl tucked a stray strand of hair underneath her ear and then proceeded to wipe the sweat that accumulated on her forehead. She took one last knowing glance at Zuko.

Nesta pitied him.

Zuko hated it when people did.

 

* * *

 

Iroh noticed the unspoken tension between the two.

They stopped in front of a beggar, Nesta throwing in a copper piece that she got from the tips their customers gave. She had offered the money to Iroh, to repay the things he bought for her, but the old man refused to take it. Zuko clicked his tongue at the action, his mood foul as always. The priestess disregarded the young man with an uncharacteristic frown.

“Did something happen while I was talking to Pao?” Iroh asked, trying to put some sense in their situation.

“Ask your nephew.” was Nesta’s blunt reply. Zuko walked a few steps ahead of them, head fuming and brows furrowed at the girl’s words.

The young man paused, breathing out all his frustration. “Nothing. Nothing happened, Uncle.” He said that with gritted teeth and his signature temper-controlling tone.

Iroh wasn’t really convinced. He decided to just ignore the tension all together. Maybe it was just a small misunderstanding about the brewing or something. Or maybe it was because of the wound Zuko had. “Well, that’s good, because Lee’s coming with us to our training tomorrow.”

“What?!” Zuko turned to look at his uncle. He was unbelievable! Doesn’t he notice the evident repulsion the two teenagers had with each other? Nesta wasn’t that great in concealing her surprise either. Her blue eyes were wide and her mouth agape.

The girl was quick to compose herself. “Mushi, Don’t you think it’s unnecessary? I mean, Lee’s tired from the double shifts, he needs his rest.” Nesta didn’t really care if the prince was having a hard time recovering from fatigue. She just didn’t want to train with him, not with the absurd thoughts he had in mind. It won’t take too long before all her bones were broken.

“Nonsense! It will be a great bonding activity!” Zuko and Nesta glared at each other.

If looks could kill, both of the teenagers would have a dagger against each other’s throats.

 


	7. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there!
> 
> Where have I been for the past few days? Slacking off.
> 
> I almost lost my muse for this chapter but then I decided to draw some art so I can envision how the scenes play out. (picture attached)
> 
> For now, enjoy chapter 7!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated! Thank you, <3

**AWAKENING**

* * *

  _Their minds were a vast archive of thoughts, enlightened anew by the power of Zeitu._

_-Cassandra the Entangler on the death of the Ancients_

* * *

 

 

* * *

He had no other choice.

Zuko lay slumped against the train seats, body fighting the urge to go back to sleep. His uncle had since retired to dreamland a few minutes ago; the man’s snores filling the almost empty train. The prince was surprised the train station still operated at this ungodly hour. There were very few passengers in it, most had their eyes shut tight and saliva drooling in slumber.

“Stop fighting it.” It was from the young woman parallel to him. Nesta was wide awake and alert, as if she had enough sleep to compensate for the early morning ride. “If you’re tired then sleep. It’s a long ride.”

Zuko gave her a pointed glance, his brows raised in question. The priestess knew what that meant to him. She looked away. “I’m not gonna murder you, we talked about this.”

The prince still stared at her without speaking. He crossed his arms and leaned on the backrest. Zuko still didn’t trust the young woman. She seemed so harmless and yet he knew she had some secrets she wouldn’t tell. It’s impossible that one of a priestess from the strongest court was as useless as she was, given the responsibility bestowed upon her. He flared his nostrils. Something was up. ‘Just stop thinking and close your eyes for a second.’ The prince thought as his eyelids gave way.

Soon enough, his breathing steadied. Nesta knew that the prince had already fallen asleep. An exhausted sigh escaped her lips. The priestess stood up, sat on the train floor and assumed a meditating position. She let out a succession of deep breaths and tried to figure out her mental barriers. Nesta imagined a brick wall inside her mind. One by one, she slowly placed a new brick, forging another layer of protection from her powers. In the inside of the wall was a slumbering figure of herself. Nesta knew she has yet to unlock her unique ability as a priestess.

The young woman wished it wasn’t mind-reading like her Matron had.

* * *

 The breeze was warm against Nesta’s skin.

Her training robes were drenched from running around in circles with Zuko. She swore to the spirits those ten rounds were way too many for a girl like her. There was no warm-ups or breathing exercises, no stretching and she still wasn’t allowed to take breaks while running. The prince would mockingly look at the tired priestess every time he ran past her. She shooed him off a few times - a disgraceful thing to do, in which Iroh was more than surprised to hear. Zuko finished a few laps ahead of her. He now joined Iroh by the trunk of the single tree, watching the frail priestess struggle with the last miles she had to cover.

The young woman collapsed at the foot of the small elevated ground. She had a hard time trying to catch her breath. Her palm went to her chest, heaving in and out as sweat continued to trickle down her forehead. Nesta wasn’t used to this kind of activity. She was always kept inside their temples, favoring meditation or conversing with pilgrims rather than playing around with some kids. The young prince laughed at her from the top of the hill.

“Zuko.” His uncle said, a steaming cup of jasmine tea in his hands. “You should probably fetch her. She seems too tired to climb up.”

Zuko scowled at the statement. “She can do it.” He watched as Iroh’s eyebrows furrowed and a reprimanding look crossed his face. The prince knew better than to let his uncle scold him. Zuko stood up from his sitting position and without other words, proceeded to fetch the girl.

Iroh sighed. He laid out four cups in front of him and filled it to the brim with water. The old man’s palms were sweaty at the thought of what he was about to do. He knew that he was putting his nephew at risk, but Nesta needed to learn how to summon her ability. It just so happens he was the only person Iroh knew that could keep a secret. Besides, Zuko needed to trust her more.

He saw the two approaching from afar. Zuko frowned as he dragged the tired priestess who was barely even walking at this point. Her eyes were downcast and her usual calm demeanor was diminished with an agape mouth. Nesta turned to look at the cups laid in front of her. The priestess stopped in front of the old man, the blood returning from her face at the sight of the ancient ritual.

She immediately sat in front of the cups.

Zuko knew that his Uncle had the tendency to be dramatic with his activities. He didn’t bother to find out about what the girl had to face. Maybe some priestess duties or something similar. “Can I leave now?”

“One lap, Zuko.” Iroh’s reply was simple.

The prince’s eyes widened. His hands went to his hair as he tugged at it in frustration. “Seriously!” Zuko stormed off to the bottom of the hill with heavy feet. He started his long trek with an irritated sprint.

Iroh’s full attention was now directed at the girl. He gestured at the wooden cups in front of him. The old man had secretly sprinkled dried water hemlocks in one of the drinks - he did not remember which. It was all up to Nesta to find out. “I might not be a clairvoyant, but I know your potential is still sleeping. This activity focuses on summoning your special ability in times of need.”

Nesta grabbed one of the cups and gently lifted the wood to drink from it. Iroh shouted from his position, a firm hand stopping the girl. The priestess raised a brow at the old man. What was she supposed to do, then? “I want you to single out the poison and let Zuko drink the three cups you think contains water.”

Nesta kept her brows raised. She put the cup down, eyes still fixated on the old man. “I’m really not sure about this, Mr. Iroh.” There was a hint of doubt in her voice, both for her abilities and the person who is to drink from the cups. “not with Zuko.”

Iroh’s lips were pressed together. “You have to earn Zuko’s trust. It’s an exercise for both of you.”

“but what if I don’t do this right.” Fear trickled in every syllable her mouth chose to articulate. She knew the ritual had to be done with someone whom she trusted, not a complete stranger. In that way, the fear of their death would urge the priestess to summon her ability. With Zuko, Nesta knew she would be unable to take him so seriously.

Iroh smiled. “You’re the last living priestess.” He was about to reach forward and give Nesta an encouraging pat on the shoulder but his words flew almost immediately. “You have to get it right.” Nesta nodded in response, a troubled expression crossed her face.

Both of them waited for Zuko to finish in silence. The priestess' heart was racing as she thought of a possible way to lure the prince into drinking the cups of water. A head of dark brown hair approached the place where they sat. Nesta felt the weight of Iroh’s eyes on her.

“You must be thirsty, my dear nephew.” The young woman’s eyes shot up to where Iroh was sitting. He was helping her. Nesta smiled at the old man.

“Actually,” Nesta smiled playfully at the boy as a brilliant idea crossed her mind. She pushed aside the feeling of fear to a corner of her mind. It would be better to treat this test as child’s play if Zuko was involved. “Are you in the mood for a bet?”

Zuko clicked his tongue. “No.”

“I’ll take over a week’s worth of your chores if you guess correctly.” Iroh raised a brow at what the young woman was implying. He watched Zuko’s expression turn into a look of annoyance, then of contemplation to directly sitting beside the girl.

“So?” Zuko asked half-heartedly. He wasn’t so sure if this was a good idea but he could really use the week off from scrubbing dirty plates. His wounded hand won't heal properly if it’s always exposed to soapy water.

“Three cups contain water; one cup is rice wine.” The priestess gulped at her lie but she urged on. “Drink rice wine and you’ll lose.”

Zuko was about to grab a cup when Nesta interrupted him mid-sip. “Wait! I need to test the water first.” Another lie to which the prince believed in.

The woman closed her eyes and concentrated. She was once again in her mind, surrounded by walls of bricks that she built a while back. In the middle was a sleeping figure of herself. The priestess had to figure out how to awaken it. Nesta grabbed one of the bricks laying at the side and chucked it at the sleeping figure. Sadly, to no avail.

“What’s taking you too long?” Zuko asked, momentarily breaking Nesta’s concentration. “and what do you mean testing the water?” Zuko had the suspicion that Nesta was giving him some kind of spirit water that would possess him. The prince stared at the cup. Well, it looked like normal water and how will she get her hands on spirit water, anyway?

It was hard to hide her annoyance. What were the odds of picking up the poisoned one? one out of four. Zuko’s fingers blindly picked a cup to drink from. “You talk too much for a prince.” Nesta said through gritted teeth as her eyes followed the motion of the young man’s hand. He was testing her patience. The girl was naturally soft with her words but with Zuko, her mouth could not resist but retort.

Zuko was about to retort when Iroh’s voice interrupted them. “Are you sure about that, nephew?”

There was a moment of silence, a second of hesitation, but Nesta decided to play along anyway. “Mr. Iroh, it is his choice. It’s just a bet after all.” The way Nesta presented the ancient ritual was a far cry from how the ancients used to do. However, it was the most creative the old man had ever seen. Taking the situation lightly lessens the burden of the possible homicide she is to commit. One fault though is that she might treat it too much of a game.

Zuko chugged the contents of the cup without a second thought. Nesta waited for a reaction, a scream, some lightheadedness - nothing came. The young woman let out the sigh she bottled up from the tension filling the air. The prince was ignorant of what the cup really contained. It was for the better, she thought. The girl closed her eyes again as the young man began picking out what he was to drink next.

At first, she heard a soft whisper in her ear and there was a tingling sensation climbing up from her spine. Her eyes were getting heavier at every breath she took. Nesta could not explain what was happening, but it clearly isn’t pleasant. She tried to come back to the brick wall the priestess built in her mind. It was shaking.

The young woman tried her best to not let her mental block collapse. She pushed at the bricks and held them in place. The figure in the middle still lay slumbering without interruption. Nesta screamed as she forced her walls back to where it was planted. The scream resounded throughout her mind and had caused another quake. The walls were on the verge of falling.

Zuko reached for another cup and brought it close to his lips. Nesta tried to open her eyes but was surprised as she saw the world in shadows and colors. She gazed at the fibers of the torchlight they set up beside the tree. There were solid colors everywhere, dancing and flowing to a silent melody. ‘Aura’ Nesta figured. How did non-living things have auras, though?

Her gaze shifted to the young prince. The cup that Zuko held was a hideous green compared to the others at the bottom. It must be the poison. She quickly slapped it out of his hands, his lips almost touching the rim of the cup.

The liquid pooled around a patch of grass. The part sizzled and withered immediately. Both teenagers took a moment to stare at the bold spot.

“What the?!” Zuko was confused. “What was that?!”

“Water hemlock.” Iroh examined the spot where the water had touched. The old man stood up from his position and began clearing up his cups. He had an exhausted smile on his face as he watched the teenagers stare at what was once a patch of grass. His nephew was safe. “Shuts down all organs with just a taste.”

Zuko turned his attention to Nesta who looked as dumbfounded as he was. “I almost drank that?!”

“Yeah.” Nesta’s stare was distant, contemplating. “I guess.”

The prince was livid. He’s been tricked by this temple girl and he fell for it! What’s worse was that Zuko could have died from drinking the hemlock infused drink. “and you knew the cup was poisoned?” He pointed a finger at Iroh and his nostrils flared at the old man. “I told you, she was plotting to kill me!”

“If I wanted you dead, I wouldn’t had slapped the cup away from you.” Nesta snapped. There was a sudden change of demeanor as the doubting young woman turned to a confused one. She didn’t know what to make of her new found ability. She peeked at the figure in the middle of her mind. It stared at her blankly. An involuntary shiver went up against her spine. “I saw auras. I saw energy. It was so pure...”

“Hm.” Iroh stroked his chin. “I’ve never encountered a priestess with that ability before.” Truth is, Ida was the closest his every been to a priestess of the traveling court. She told him about their special abilities granted uniquely to each priestess. She had never mentioned an ability like this, however.

Zuko fumed beside the girl. He scooted away as his hands went to hug himself. “This is the last time I’m joining your activities, Uncle!” He stood up and began walking away from the site.

“We should probably be going...” It was Iroh who snapped the girl out of her trance. Nesta looked at him as if she didn’t recognize the old man. She shook her head and scrambled out of her thoughts. “Are you okay, Nesta?”

“Yeah...” Nesta took one knowing glance at the figure in the middle of her mind. It was frowning now, eyes still fixated on her. “I just need... some rest, is all.”

The priestess nodded to herself. She knew she needed more than rest - she needed closure.


	8. City of Walls and Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah. Constructive criticism inspires me to write more <3 Thank you so much guys!

**CITY OF WALLS AND SECRETS**

* * *

Jet scowled at Longshot and Smellerbee.

They were being irrational this time. The boy knew that the old man was a Fire bender. He saw him heat up the cup with his own eyes. He was a threat to their new life in Ba Sing Se, and yet they did not agree to whatever Jet proposed. He tried to let them remember what the Fire Nation did to their families - who and what they lost in the war, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The leader spotted a figure approaching from a far. It was the young receptionist carrying a hefty amount of spirit knows what. “If you don’t wanna help me, I’ll get the evidence on my own!”

The young man turned to catch up with the lady. He slowed down his pace to a considerable amount, just so it would look like he was casually walking behind her. Jet huffed as he caught the receptionist’s attention with a question. “Need some help with that?”

The young lady’s shoulders slumped at the voice. She craned her neck to look at the owner and was surprised to see a boy her age, walking alone in the night. “No, no! I don’t want to be a bother.” She stared at the newly bought utensils she had. It was getting quite heavy and her arms were already complaining. The girl’s eyes met Jet’s with an awkward smile accompanying it. “Actually, I do need help.” A change of heart.

The young man took the bag in her other hand. They began walking side by side, a comfortable silence around them. “I’m Nesta.” The girl was the first to break it. “Thank you for carrying those. I really appreciate it.”

“Jet and no problem.” Jet grinned at the woman as he started up a conversation. “I’ve seen you around the teashop a few times. Are these for Pao?”

“Yes.” Nesta nodded. It was quite refreshing to talk to a person her age without getting screamed at. Zuko was terrible at starting conversations and even more at maintaining the interest in them. “Well, I just moved. I came from the other town inside of the middle ring. My uncle needed help.”

“Is Pao your uncle?” A genuine question from the boy. As Jet stared at the woman’s features, he noticed a few peculiarities she had. Her eyes were a beautiful icy blue and her skin, though now sun-kissed with small freckles adorning it, glowed under the moonlight. She looked out of place, but it was not his position to question her origins.

Nesta smiled as he noticed him examining her features. She got used to the weird stares the people would give her, but none of their faces was this appealing. The priestess looked away, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. “It’s Mushi actually.” She quickly averted her attention at the young man, to which wore a look of surprise. “Ah, what am I saying. I believe you don’t know him.”

“Yeah.” Jet said. He grinned at the woman, not because she found her cute or anything. She was exactly what the leader needed - a distraction.

Soon enough, they reached their destination. “Here we are, Nesta.”

“Thank you so much, Jet.” The girl gently lifted her palm to receive the bags of utensils the boy held but instead of dumping the bag, Jet placed a soft kiss on her hand. Nesta’s cheeks reddened profusely at the gesture. ”If there’s anything I can do to repay you...”

“I was thinking...” Jet grinned, a devious one. The girl recoiled at the sudden change of expression the boy had. She quickly reached for the bag he held but was met by a firm grip on the arm. “I just need you to be nice and quiet when we meet your uncle.”

“Hmpf-!” Nesta had no time to register what was happening. The boy kicked open the door and dragged the young priestess inside the teashop. A few people stared at them, Iroh had the most horrified expression of all.

“I’m tired of waiting!” Jet threw the bag of utensils at the men on the counter. “These two men are Fire benders!”

Nesta’s eyes widened as she struggled against his grip. “Jet! What are you doing?” She tried to wiggle away but Jet tightened his hold around the girl’s arm.

“I know they’re Fire benders. I saw the old man heating his tea!” He dragged the woman towards the middle of the shop.

“He works in a teashop.” A soldier interrupted. If the situation was any different, Nesta would laugh at the timing of the observation. She tried to pull the boy away from Iroh and Zuko, but she was just too weak to do so. Why was her body giving up so easily?!

“He’s a Fire bender! I’m telling you!” Jet pressed. With just a blink of an eye, his sword went to Nesta’s neck. She was trap in an awkward embrace with the boy against her back and a sword dangerously close to slicing her vein. Nesta held in her scream.

“Drop your swords boy, nice and easy.” A soldier warned.

“Nesta!” Old man Iroh screamed from his position. He got down on his knees and begged for the boy to release Nesta. “Please, spare my niece. She has nothing to do with you!” Zuko eyes followed the motion of his uncle. His fists were clenched and teeth gritted. It might be an act but the prince knew Iroh never stooped so low as to beg for someone’s life - one who he has no benefit from in this case. It made his blood boil.

“You’ll have to defend her.” Jet tightened her hold on the young woman. She let out a muffled scream as tears began rolling down her eyes. “Then everyone will know. Go ahead. Show them what you can do.”

Zuko decided, enough was enough. “You want a show?” He unsheathed a twin blade from a soldier’s scabbard. The prince tested his grip menacingly. “Release her and I’ll give you a show.”

The succession of events was quick. Nesta found herself thrown against the floor as the clear slice of a blade filled the teashop. She saw Zuko fighting against the boy; his grip was firm and his form immaculate. The girl momentarily marveled at the skill that the prince had with his dual broadswords. If only she knew how to use them then she should have saved herself.

“Nesta!” It was Iroh that came to her aid. He gently touched her shoulder. Nesta was surprised at what happened next. Her mind revisited a distant memory once again.

 

* * *

 

“Ida.” Prince Iroh stared at the woman who was engrossed in reading the book between her fingers. He was about in his late thirties that time and he looked toned and young in his armor. “Have you met Ozai’s wife?”

Ida raised a neat brow, an expression well known to Iroh. “The one your father forced your brother to marry?”

The young general chuckled at her response. “That’s a sharp tongue you have there, even sharper than your blade.”

“Wisdom over a sword, any day.” The young Ida grinned. “Ursa is wonderful, by the way. She was thrilled when she found out I knew a thing or two about herbs. I might teach her how to properly poison someone she owes her misery to.” The tone was suggestive but Iroh knew she was talking about someone from his family. “I’m just joking, Iroh.”

 

* * *

 

“Nesta.” the old man’s voice interrupted her vision. “Pull your mental walls up. This is no time for revisiting.”

“I was-“ Nesta scoffed as she tried to rebuild her barriers. Fear caught her off guard but she was quick to recover. The two watched as both young men battled their way out of the teashop. They followed the duel to the streets, were a crowd was waiting for the fight to subdue. “I’m sorry, I was just overwhelmed.”

Nesta held on to the old man as the fighting ensued. She watched as Zuko effortlessly brought his blade to meet Jet’s. It was like a dance of some sort; how their weapons would collide in a deadly prance. The priestess followed the movement of the blade, eyes entailed by the beauty of the heated battle. She had never got so close to violence and she had never known why she was so caught up with the way of the sword. It was as beautiful as it was dangerous. The priestess felt her fear melt into a longing, her hands itched at the thought of a sword handle around it.

“Drop your weapons.” Dai Li agents cut off her reverie. The priestess eyes gazed at the men in uniform. Their stone gloves sending shivers down her spine.

Jet was the first to break off from the battle. “Arrest them! They’re Fire benders!” He pointed his blade at Zuko who assumed a defensive position.

Iroh stepped in front. “This poor boy is confused! We’re just simple refugees.”

“This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!” Pao interjected, his eyes troubled. Well, Zuko did wreck a few tables at the shop. The woman cringed at the memory of the wood split into half.

A soldier then began to speak. Iroh blushed at the words the man proclaimed. It never reached Nesta’s ears. Her eyes were caught in Zuko’s who stared at her scornfully as if she had something to do with the battle. The priestess understood why he was throwing daggers at her. She was foolish to trust a suspicious passer-by asking if she needed help.

As Jet was dragged away, Zuko inched closer. “Uncle, give this back.” He shoved the swords away, his gaze still fixed at Nesta. The priestess swore he saw flames exiting his nostril.

“We need to talk.” The prince grabbed her arm, every syllable of his statement firm and filled with venom. Nesta yelped at how his hands wrapped around her painfully as she was dragged to a secluded place - an empty park just by the other end of the market. Zuko released her, only to punch the tree in front of them. “You almost put us in danger!”

Nesta recoiled as the impact of the punch made small leaves fall. She gulped before her words left her mouth in a weak whisper. “Zuko. I’m fine, okay? Look. I’m alive. Breathing.”

The prince turned to face the priestess, face twisted into a look of anger. His fingers went to point at the woman accusingly. “I don’t care if you’re breathing or dead. The next time you put my uncle and I’s identity at risk you’re out!”

Zuko then proceeded to scream as his hands gripped his hair in frustration. “I’m a fool to think that you were hiding some kind of supernatural strength when in reality, you’re just a useless temple girl who can’t even handle a sword! The only thing that separates you from mundane is the stupid powers you have, and you can’t even control it!”

Nesta felt her chest sink at what the young man said. It was true. She can’t control her abilities, but she’s not entirely useless. The guilt in her turned into something much more terrifying - anger. She was angry at what Zuko was implying. Nesta huffed, she checked her mental wall firsts, hands holding down the bricks as the figure inside of her head laughed at her mockingly. She didn’t care at the moment. The priestess’ thoughts exploded on Zuko. “Look! I admit it, okay! I can’t control myself. No need to rub it in my face. I’m that child that was sheltered since birth, know nothing about defending myself or can’t even complete a physical task. I’m a terrible priestess but it’s not like I have someone to teach me how I should live my life.”

Her mind conjured up an image of Iroh and she thought of how lucky Zuko was. Sadness washed over her at the thought of the extinction of clairvoyants and how she had to face the world alone. “It’s not like I have an understanding uncle to guide me always.”

Zuko raised an angry brow at the woman. He inched closer, teeth gritted and eyes burning with hatred. “You’re weak, Nesta and I pity you.” He told it more to himself, trying to convince his mind that his own weaknesses weren’t entirely far from Nesta’s. At least he knew what path he was supposed to take.

Nesta bit her tongue at what the young man said. She looked away, ashamed of how Zuko could see right past her walls. The priestess wanted to defend herself from people like Jet. The entire week with Iroh was uneventful, although he promised to teach her combat, they’ve done nothing close to fighting. He refused to fight her not unless she knew how to control her emotions. Zuko, however, was quick, young and efficient. He wouldn’t be a better master, but he can get the job done. The girl swallowed down her pride. It’s best to try.

“I know. That’s why I want you to teach me the way of the sword.” It was an inaudible whisper, but the prince heard it crisp and clear.

A blank expression graced his face. “Please Zuko, I saw how you handled the situation and-“

“The sword is not for the weak-minded.” It was something his uncle used to say. His golden eyes stared daggers at the woman. “and you’re asking me? Do I owe you?”

Nesta gulped once again. Her mind led her to the information she gathered a while ago. She can use it against Zuko. ”Your mother, Ursa - your mother was a friend of my Matron. I saw it in Iroh’s memories.” There was a visible stammer in her words though she tried hard not to let the prince feel like she was afraid of him.

“That means nothing.” The prince tried hard not to lose his composure at the mention of his mother. It was funny how Nesta tried so hard to find something that can move him towards training her. Never in a hundred years.

Nesta bit the inside of her cheeks as she pushed away the thought of crying at the impending lie she was about to tell. She had to convince his stone resolve to even try teach her. The priestess never knew about Zuko’s mother or how she was lost in the nation like Iroh said. She was just sure that the prince needed answers. “I know what happened to her.” Nesta reddened profusely at the lie.

Zuko did not believe it at first. He gripped the tree in front of them as he tried to control the emotions crashing over his being. That’s when she realized that Nesta was able to see pasts and she might have seen it in one of Iroh’s. “You will tell me.” The prince refused to face the girl. “What happened to my mother.”

“No.” It was as if Nesta found courage in what lie she had to offer. “I won’t tell you. Not until you teach me.” She took one reluctant step towards Zuko.

The prince turned to face the woman. Is she really that serious about handling a sword? He can teach her but he had to control it to some extent. All for his mother. “How am I able to know you won’t use this against me.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I won’t.” Nesta’s answer was simple but effective. “I give you the power to kill me if ever I’ll turn my sword against you.” It was an offer than can go wrong in so many ways, but the intention was clear and Zuko was contemplating about it. Nesta offered an arm to shake.

‘ _Was it really worth it?_ ’ The prince asked to himself. He saw her mother smiling at him for the last time and his anger seem to have disintegrated away. All for her. “Fine.” There was still venom in his voice. He gripped the girl’s arm and gave it a firm shake. “Just make sure you’re telling the truth.”

Nesta gulped. “Once we’re done.” She prayed to Zeitu to give her the strength when the truth is finally revealed. By then, The priestess should know how to defend herself. Maybe she’ll stand a chance against Zuko’s rage.

“Tomorrow night. Provide a sword by then.” The prince glared at the woman. He gazed at how her long hair stopped just below her waist and how annoying it would be to train swords with that kind of length. “and your hair, tie it or I’ll cut it off.”

Nesta squeaked as her hands went to her raven hair. She had another secret about each strand of hair - one that Zuko should not know of. It didn’t matter now.

The priestess felt the weight of her lie as she looked at the scar on Zuko’s face.

Spirits forgive her.


	9. Dance of the Spirits

**DANCE OF THE SPIRITS**

* * *

Nesta was still outside.

Iroh waited for her to come back home. She usually didn’t stay outside so late, not on an evening when there’s work tomorrow. The old man didn’t mingle with whatever affair she was trying to resolve in the market. Nesta just told her that she was to visit a soldier whom she owe something to and that priestess would come back home late after that. He couldn’t help but worry about her, she was still as defenseless as when she first met him.

Zuko emerged from his room with a frown. He was all dressed up and covered for a night’s walk. His hand went to his hair as he tried to fluff out the neatness of the comb marks.

Iroh raised a brow at his gear. Where was he going this late at night? “Have you seen Nesta, Zuko?”

The young man turned to look at his uncle. Worry was written all over his wrinkled face. Zuko secretly rolled his eyes at the old man. Why does he worry so much of Nesta? “She told me to get dressed and meet her at the fountain.” The prince clarified nonchalantly.

Iroh smiled. Everything made sense now. So that’s why Nesta’s hair was neatly braided. She also went to shop for new clothes to wear while on break this morning. “She asked you on a date, didn’t she?”

The young man’s brows were furrowed and sweat began dripping down his forehead. His uncle was a romantic mess. He had to name every girl his age as Zuko’s love interest. Nesta wasn’t that, and will never be that. “No, uncle, we’re just going to run some errands.”

“Well, I’m not making you run any errands in this house. At night? I think there’s more to what you’re saying.” Iroh smiled playfully at his nephew’s frustrated sigh. He let out a hearty laugh, watching the young man scratch his head in distress.

 

* * *

 

Nesta waited for Zuko at the fountain.

The priestess sat high on Senj, the ostrich horse she used to escape the Fire Nation. She sold it to a stable and asked the keeper to take care of the animal for a while. Nesta bought him back for about two gold pieces, four times the amount she initially sold him for. Twin blades were strapped on the saddle, a gift from the soldier’s son whom the woman shameless flirted with. He was painfully unfunny but it was all for the old sword that the boy’s father never used.

She watched as a figure approached the fountain. Her senses were amplified and her mind was alert. It stalked slowly to her place, the light steadily illuminating the mess of tissues on his face. Nesta sighed as she realized that it was Zuko.

The young prince raised an eyebrow at the sword on the saddle. He remembered clearly how she ended up with the object and how the soldier boy thought she was seriously in to him. Zuko almost grinned at Nesta’s disgust when the boy tried to flex his lanky arms at the woman. Serves her right.

Zuko furrowed his brows. “Do you... Do you like to exploit yourself that often?” It was not meant to come out of his mouth, but the words already did. He gestured at the ostrich horse, maybe another product of her tricks.

The priestess flared her nostrils at what the boy was implying. The prince always knew what button he needed to press to trigger the girl. “Excuse me, prince, this is Senj. He’s the one who saved my life when I was running away...” The thought trailed off as the woman’s face turned solemn. Zuko knew what she was referring to.

“What am I saying...” Nesta hopped off the creature as she pointed at the saddle. “You know how to ride an ostrich horse?.”

Zuko knew it wasn’t because the priestess didn’t trust her directions or anything. He knew that they would be in an awkward position if the woman was on the front. The saddle was small and her back would be against him, squeezed together as the ostrich horse galloped. As much as possible, they avoided that kind of friction.

The prince wordlessly mounted the creature. He didn’t offer help as the woman struggled to get on the back, almost falling down multiple times in the process.

“What should a woman do for a man to offer his hand.” Nesta mocked as she gripped his shoulders for support. Zuko told her nothing. He kicked the side of the creature gently to signal it to move. Both of the teenagers were caught by surprise at how fast the ostrich horse kickstarted. The prince hugged the base of its neck while Nesta held a deadly grip on Zuko’s shoulders.

“Zuko! Are you trying to kill us?” The priestess words were lost in the wind, hair slapping painfully against her face.

The young prince could only grunt in surprise as he tried to regain control on the ostrich horse. For whatever its worth, Zuko knew that this was going to be a rough ride.

The two settled on a small patch of land near the outskirts of the middle ring. It was a vast field, with livestock fast asleep in their assumed position. Zuko decided that they would spar in the bamboo forest; in that way they would be hidden. Nesta obliged. They walked into the forest, the prince swinging his sword to cut of the vines that littered the place.

“You’re just making the blade blunt!” The priestess huffed at the action. She watched as a piece of vine flew past her, almost hitting her hair in the process. She didn’t want to deal with Zuko anymore.

Zuko clicked his tongue. “It’s already blunt to begin with.” He paused momentarily and surveyed an empty spot with a single log located on it. Nesta watched as golden eyes calculated the area and his brows were furrowed in concentration. There was always something fascinating about the prince that she always noticed yet never entertained. Maybe it was how his face can tell stories alone. However, these past few days it only told her one thing - pain.

“We’re stopping here.” Zuko dumped his pack on a patch of ground and assumed his position in the middle of the space, dual broadswords still sheathed on his waist. The priestess followed suit. She twisted her braids into a single bun and let it rest on top of her head. There was no way she was going to get a surprise haircut today.

The prince walked in circles, observing how the woman would react to this. Nesta stood awkwardly in the middle with her hands on her sides. Her icy blue eyes followed the motion of Zuko and she suppressed a laugh as the boy stared at him with eyes like daggers.

“Assume your fighting stance.” The prince proclaimed.

Nesta was caught off-guard. “What?”

Soon, Zuko’s foot came flying to hit the woman’s stomach. She stumbled a few steps, feeling the hard impact on her for the first few seconds. Nesta scoffed at the pain but most importantly, her eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. “What was that for?”

“Rule number one” The prince said. “think quick.” He threw a punch at Nesta’s way, his fist hitting her shoulder in a failed attempt of a dodge. “Stand your ground, Nesta.” There was a sense of satisfaction at the punch. He knew she was a girl, but she was also his student now. That means, any form of beating would be classified as learning and not because of his burning annoyance towards her. Agreeing to this wasn’t so bad at all.

“Wait! Can you explain what’s going- ah!” The prince charged at the woman. He had his blades out, the back wood ready to hit her face. Nesta ducked as Zuko tried to attack her. It was his first hit that Nesta dodged. “Take it slow, will you!”

“You wanted to learn! I’m teaching you!” The prince exclaimed as he pointed the blade at Nesta. He then proceeded to slice at the grass beneath the girl’s feet which caused the poor priestess to jump at the movement. Zuko was restless as he began coming at her with a sharpened sword. A dodge here, a hit at that - it was a heated battle of squeaks, quick movements and a chance of death. It wasn’t the best way to learn to dodge a sword, but it did work. The prince purposely missed some stabs just because he didn’t want to get her killed.

Nesta felt her arms and feet fall into a rushed rhythm. She raised her wrists when the sword slashed blindly at her side, slid her feet when it went flying across the grass. It was reminiscent of the dances she was taught in the temple. Soon enough, the priestess found herself laughing at how their bodies moved in sync with each other. It reminded her of the clairvoyants dancing to a melody that only the gifted can hear - the song of time.

“What are you laughing about?!” Zuko exclaimed, the silent melody singing beneath his arms which he purposely swatted away.

Nesta smiled at the angry Zuko. “We’re dancing, prince.”

She began spinning around, her neat bun coming undone. She let out another laugh, a beautiful flurry of genuine happiness. The prince hated how easy peace would come to her. He never knew that a little dancing would make her forget that her life was in danger with an armed swordsman fighting. Zuko paused as he let out an annoyed sigh. He was about to reprimand Nesta but was taken a back by soft hands pulling away the swords from his grip. “Nesta! I did not give you permission to-!”

“I’m seeing colors, Zuko!” She interrupted the young man. Nesta saw auras and energies as vibrant and beautiful as the sun. It was a wonderful array of hues. Even the dull bamboo trunks were lively with greens and the smallest of ants were a fierce red. She stared at the figure inside her head, sinking at the thought and power the girl unleashed. The priestess didn’t know what she was doing, she just enjoyed the beauty that her supposed gift brought out. She spun faster and faster, the colors melting into a blur, the swords dangerously swinging beside her.

Zuko growled at the woman. “Nesta, stop it!” He went in and tackled her waist. The prince kept his face down, away from the blade of the sword. Nesta was caught by surprised. She let go of her grip, swords flying across and impaling a few bamboo trees in the process. They momentarily rolled against the grass, Zuko willing the movement to stop as he dug his heel beneath the ground.

The prince breath hitched at the sight of the priestess. She was laughing, her lips conjuring up melodies as the moon illuminated her. It looked like she glowed under the celestial body; the color of her skin containing a hint of gold and a soft aqua. Streaks of discolored hair shone beneath her raven ones. Her icy blues were lit with happiness. She looked like a spirit turned mortal - beautiful, as they called it. Zuko shook his head at thought. She was just a temple girl.

Nesta’s eyes finally fell on the prince’s shocked figure. It was dull against the saturation of the forest, a cloudy gray compared to the vibrant ones. A small frown found its way up her lips. “Zuko...” Her icy blues softened visibly at the young man. He scowled at the woman before heaving himself up. He knew what Nesta saw in him, it was evident as day. For whatever reason, she still pitied him.

The young man stood up wordlessly, his steps heavy with envy and hatred for the girl. She reminded her of Azula - how lucky they were born, how perfect they were seen. It made him rethink of his decision of teaching her, given all the things the spirits already blessed her with. Zuko gathered the swords, a weight to his movements and a string of curses on his lips.

Nesta stood up from her position. She felt bad about lying to him now that she’s seen how depressing his aura was. It felt wrong. “Zuko. About your mother...”

He realized right then why he was doing this. “You ought to have a little more self-control next time.” His teeth were gritted and hands clenched around the hilt of the sword. “Handling swords is not child’s play, Nesta. You’re lucky enough that you didn’t get yourself killed in that stunt you pulled off.” Zuko didn’t wait for a response and just turned his back away from the girl. He headed for the ostrich horse and begun strapping his things to it. Uncle Iroh would be looking for them soon. “Not that you haven’t done that before...” The prince let his thoughts trail off.

Nesta took a few steps back. Getting lost in the hype was one thing, but getting off it was another. She sighed as another of her happier memories was tainted in sadness. A weight settled in her chest at Zuko’s words. Maybe, he was right...

She was lucky to even be alive.

 


	10. Tales of Ba Sing Se

**TALES OF BA SING SE**

* * *

 

It’s been two weeks since Zuko agreed to teach her and three since Iroh decided to keep her in.

Nesta was filling in some needed weight. She looked healthier except for the fact that her eyes carried bags as heavy as a bison. Late night trainings with Zuko and early morning sparring with Iroh had taken a toll on the girl. Bruises littered her body and her bones screamed every time she tried to move. Not only that, Zeitu had been haunting her dreams quite lately. The spirit told her to go to some temple Nesta wasn’t familiar with. Maybe it was her mind playing tricks on her. The girl dismissed it as some kind of reaction to whatever longing she still had for her court. She was tired and drained from all the things the priestess had been doing that Nesta didn’t notice that she fell asleep while in the kitchen.

Iroh heard the soft snores radiating from the girl. He raised a quizzical brow as he approached the teenager. “Nesta.” The old man shook her awake. The poor priestess stood dazed at the man. Iroh recoiled at the sight of the dark circles under her icy blues. “I think you need a day off. I’ll tell Pao you don’t feel well.”

Nesta shook her head in agreement at what the man said. She stood up, legs still wobbly from her sleep, and began her trek to where Senj was waiting. Zuko turned to look at the priestess as she gripped the counter for support. He cocked a brow at her and clicked his tongue at how the woman swayed on her way to the door. She often complained in their trainings how she didn’t get much sleep. The prince did not care, she put herself in that situation anyway. Zuko sighed as he heard the young woman’s knee connect with the table. Useless temple girl.

“Lee! Go help your cousin!” Iroh shouted from the kitchen.

With a pained sigh, Zuko began dragging Nesta to the stables. She was quite heavy now that she’s been recovering from starvation. Where the bones once had been, soft muscles had taken over. It was undeniable how the priestess looked less of a skeleton and more of the young woman she ought to be. Zuko knew very well that Nesta was pretty yet she was still someone he’d rather not associate himself with. She was still the girl who remained a mystery, they were not even sure if she turned out to be bad or good. The prince tightened his hold around her waist. She mumbled incoherently as Zuko help her strap some things to Senj. He patted the ostrich horse once. “Bring her home.” The ostrich horse neighed in response.

The woman climbed up the creature wordlessly, eyes half-lidded and mouth pressed together in a straight line. Nesta yawned. “Thanks, Zuko.” She absent-mindedly addressed him with.

Zuko put his index finger on his lips as a ‘Sh’ left his lips. The young man gritted his teeth. “Shut your mouth.” He pat the the ostrich horse three times. The creature galloped away, carrying the sleepy priestess barely sitting upright on its saddle. No goodbyes were spoken, the prince didn’t feel like wishing her a safe trip back, any way.

 

* * *

 

Nesta woke up to unfamiliar terrain.

She sat upright on the saddle, eyes scanning the perimeter for any signs of roads or people. There were none. An abandoned temple towered over her, its eerie vibe sent shivers down the priestess’ spine. It was surrounded by a forest which Nesta did not recall the lower ring of Ba Sing Se had. Senj slowed down into a strut as they approached the prayer house, traveling deeper into the unknown.

“Senj, where in the skies did you take me?” She was much more awake now at the sight of the forest. The priestess looked around once again. Seriously, where the spirits was she? She only remembered Zuko sending her off and then the next thing she knew, they were kilometers deep in a creepy forest.

“You’re in my temple, priestess.” An disembodied voice said, answering the question. Nesta squeaked. She was sure it wasn’t something from her mind that said that. The voice echoed through out the place, it’s raspiness a painful scratch in her ears. The priestess reached for the dagger in her satchel. She didn’t know how to use it, but at least she had something to protect herself from whatever entity she was to face.

It started with a whisper of steps. Nesta motioned the ostrich horse to continue his trek to the temple. The priestess eyes were searching, her fingers around her dagger quivered at the wake of the noise. She pursed her lips into a frown. As they drew closer to the temple, the more the noise became unbearable.

It was a quick motion, if Nesta blinked she wouldn’t have seen it. An old woman suddenly appeared beside them. Senj halted into a stop as the ostrich horse squirmed uncontrollably at the presence. The woman wore a worn out blue robe stopping just below her ankle. Her wrinkles were deep and her frown was deeper. The priestess was about to unsheathe the blade when the lady spoke. “I’m disappointed you don’t even recognize one of your kind.”

Nesta cocked a quizzical brow. “One of my kind?” Her grip remained tight around the blade.

The old woman raised her sleeves to show a patch of black beneath the wrinkled skin. The girl squinted her eyes, trying to make sense of the patterns on her arms. She realized it was the mark of their court. “Y-You’re a priestess!”

The woman laughed, her voice raspy and harsh. “I used to be, now I’m just guardian of this temple.”

“Guardian?!” Nesta stared at the symbol atop of the house. It composed of swirly lines that resembled a book- the symbol of knowledge. She had someone in mind but that person was long dead and it was unlikely that she was still alive.

“Oh, for Zeitu’s sake! You really don’t know who I am?!” The old woman exasperatedly exclaimed. “For a hundred years, you’ve passed down my book from generation to generation and you still pull a dagger at the sight of my face. How ungrateful must you younglings be!” She raised a wrinkled arm and brought it down on the horse. Senj went livid, dropping Nesta in the process. The priestess rolled on the ground, her sides gracing the impact of the fall.

The girl let out a pained sigh. “C-cassandra?”

The old woman was caught off-guard by the name. She smiled, the wrinkles in her face slowly disappearing to reveal the youthful beauty of the guardian. Nesta gazed at the tendrils that wrapped the woman. It transformed her back to an adult, clear skin with a beautiful voice. “Wow, you must be really reading some ancient books to even recognize me.”

Cassandra extended an arm for Nesta to grab. The priestess reluctantly accepted it, her hands immediately gripping her sides at the pain that shot forward. The guardian spoke, her tone apologetic. “Sorry about that, I’m quite cranky in the morning. If you know what I mean.”

“What am I doing here?” The priestess asked, eyes scanning the temple. It was old and battered, the roof barely holding on and the wood withering away.

Cassandra clicked her tongue. “It’s time for you to know your history. Zeitu asked you numerous times to go visit the temple and yet you did not listen. She had to put the matters in her own hands, you know.” The woman motioned for her to follow. There was no door to the temple, only a door way. The burnt hinges was a reminder of the fate that befallen this place.

They skimmed past some areas, burnt to the crisp and unrecognizable. Nesta frowned at the tragedy this sacred temple was. There were elaborate patterns lining the place yet only a few were saved from the flames that engulfed them. She clenched her fist at what the Fire Nation did. An image of Iroh and Zuko suddenly popped in her mind.

Nesta gasped. The very people who treated her like family were related to whatever monstrosity that did this. She could not bring herself to hate Iroh, he had been a guardian to her in such a short time, but Zuko was an entire different story. Every time their palms would brush accidentally in sleep, Nesta saw a version of the future where the prince ruled alongside his father. She saw his blank eyes staring down at the avatar and his friends as they were burnt and beheaded in front of a crowd. The girl shook away the thought. It was a path that the priestess prayed they did not partake.

Cassandra noticed the distant look on the young priestess’ face. “You seem to be preoccupied with something. Is it more important than knowing the mystery of your birth?” They stopped at the only area where a door was still intact. It was blackened from the flames but the jade in the middle remained untouched - a wonder of the court.

Nesta quickly glanced at the towering wood in front of her before resigning again to her thoughts. “It’s just, the family who adopted me, am I supposed to hate them?” One way or another, she felt guilty of living with a person who shares the same blood with the man who had killed her entire court. “Iroh was the crown prince of the Fire Nation and a war general but he’s not like that.”

The guardian smiled at the young lady’s thoughts. She placed her hand on the door, her fingertips glowing blue at the action. Cassandra closed her eyes and spoke in concentration. “And you chose not to hate him? I guess your Matron’s fondness of him rubbed on you quite a little. Ask Iroh what he thinks of Ida the next time you see him.”

The large door rumbled open, the wood creating a small hole just enough for the two of them to pass through. The older woman turned her heel to face Nesta. She grinned at her. “And do you not remember what your clairvoyants had taught you? A person’s family may write a definition of their son but it is he who defines himself.”

She motioned for the girl to move forward, her strides long and graceful like her Matron’s. Nesta followed behind, yet it was hard to stay focus with the beauty that surrounded the place. “This is the mural, the only place spared from the attack. Legend says that Zeitu was visiting this place when the Fire Nation broke in. That’s why the door remained locked and the mural, inflammable. ”

The walls were marked with olden paintings which are as vibrant as the day they were first painted. There were faces of different structures - all possessing a rare kind of beauty when put against each other. Sunlight seeped through the windows, giving the small room a surreal array of colorful glows. Standing in front of all these images felt like revisiting the past rulers that shaped the court into what it is today. Too bad it was already crumbling down, leaving the lone priestess behind to tend for herself. In the far corner near the door, a long list of names were scribbled down in script. Nesta went to examine it.

She first noticed her Matron’s name written down. Beside it was Indira, Ida’s sister and predecessor. The priestess went to check another lone branch directing to a male name written at the same row as theirs. Intan was taken too soon by the war. Nesta saw her own name below his, a blue smudge preceding her. It must be her mother’s name, but why was it scraped off?

“Do you know anything about the woman who birthed you?” The guardian asked as she appeared at the young lady’s side. Cassandra examined the smudge, the work intentional as it is.

Nesta raised an eyebrow as she tried to remember something about her mother. “N-No. I never met my mother. They told me she was a prisoner of war from the water tribe and that my father was a Fire Nation general who took her as his slave.” The young girl watched as the guardian took a step back and proceeded to get something from the shelf. “Matron told me she died giving birth.”

Cassandra dusted off a few volumes and began searching for a particular book. “I would cry if it were true, fortunately, it isn’t.” She grabbed the book and heaved it off its place.

Nesta quickly turned to face the woman. She furrowed her brows at what the elder was implying. “My mother... is alive?”

“She has always been alive.” The guardian huffed, dust flying off the book immediately. She skimmed through the pages as the woman approached the young priestess. When her fingers stopped at a particular page, Cassandra gently placed the book on the table for Nesta to see. The woman pointed at a drawing of three young ladies surrounded by different colored circles. “See this Nesta, do you see those colors that these three priestesses sense? If my writings serve me right, you have this kind of power, right?”

The young priestess straightened the page with her palm. She read the first paragraph - a narration about the priestess and their affiliation to energy. “I see colors, yes.”

“One thing remains common among all these courts; the first Matrons can see and bend energy. Because of the energy these priestesses can hold and master, Zeitu was able to bless them with her sight.” Cassandra turned the page. It was a pyramid explaining how the ancient art was lost in time. “Our sight became a hereditary gift just like bending. The special abilities however depended on how bendable the spirit of the priestess is. Your father was not blessed with these. Why do you think Nesta, out of all the special abilities you can have, the spirits blessed you with the most destructive of them all?”

Nesta gulped. She know what the guardian was implying but she didn’t have enough evidence to prove it true. “I don’t know anything about my mother.”

“You do. Very well, actually.” Cassandra placed a firm hand on the young woman’s shoulder, causing Nesta to look her way. The guardian’s amber eyes were calm and contemplating. Her smile was taut. “Your mother was the strongest of energy benders. Since her birth, the lion turtle imparted in her the wisdom of energy. She forged kingdoms out of this. She was truly generous to our court and imparted in us a special gift...” There was a long pause in between the sentence. The guardian flipped another page revealing a beautiful entity that shone against the page. “our affinity to time.”

The priestess forcibly closed the book. “You’re lying.” Nesta gazed at the door as she walked towards the scribbled names, her steps heavy with the revelation. Was it really a spirit who conceived her? It seems unlikely. Her mother was a slave to the Fire Nation, a woman who was too weak to fight for her daughter and for herself. This is the truth that she’s been living with.

Cassandra frowned. “You deny this, after she called you her child?” The woman drew her left arm across her eye, concentrating on the energy the priestess emitted. She took a hold of her aura, flinging her clenched hands to point at the young lady.

The priestess felt like the life had been sucked out of her. Her eyes rolled back and her lips were pursed. She willed her legs to walk, only to fall back. Nesta let out a choked cry, her knees wobbling at the movement. “W-What are you-u doing t-to me!” Her lips managed to say.

“There’s more to taking away and giving back energy, our gift is suppressing and letting go.” The guardian unclenched her fists, the air to Nesta’s lungs coming back in seconds. The priestess coughed as her tears stained the floor. “Do you realize now how powerful your gift is? You can render any element bending army useless.”

When the girl did not reply, Cassandra walked to where Nesta was crying. She gazed down at the young priestess. “Why do you think the clairvoyants willingly died for you, Nesta?” She knelt in front of her. The guardian’s kind face turned stoic at the sight of the priestess’ misery. “The men who lay their lives down to Zeitu, will willingly give up theirs for her daughter to full fill the promise.”

Nesta clenched her fist at the words. So she was just a pawn of this court, living only as a gift for those who died before her. It was a fair deal - it made her guilt temporarily go away. Though somehow, the priestess silently yearned for the freedom she cannot have. “You tell me things as if it’s easy to learn - as if I can do this on my own. Right now, I’m struggling to find myself with people I barely know. I’m all alone. How can I become your salvation if it’s only me against the world?”

She stared at the amber eyes, her icy blue ones filled with hurt, betrayal and a silent resignation to their will. The figure inside her head squirmed uncontrollably at her thoughts. “You’ve been feeding me lies my whole life, how am I supposed to trust you?”

“It was to protect your identity.” The guardian’s smile was gentle. She understood the conflict the young girl was going through. She knew there were words that Nesta left unspoken but it is better to find out the answers along the way. “We’re sorry but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Use the gifts we’ve given you and the book your Matron sneaked in your satchel.”

Nesta tears kept coming, yet there was something comforting in the guardian’s touch that made her lean unto the idea. She wiped the tears that prickled her eyes, her lips conjuring up words that the young woman wanted answers for. “When did I have a say in all of this?”

“You’ve always had. I know my words may shock you but the paths of priestesses are already carved for them. You, however, are given the opportunity to decide. Your actions will greatly affect our court.” Cassandra motioned for the priestess to step forward. Nesta was hesitant at first but the the promise of freedom shone brighter than her doubt. She stepped forward, mind still confused but heart firm with the movement. The guardian placed a hand on the young girl’s forehead and the other pointing on her heart. It was a blessing, one that Zeitu used for the first priestesses a long time ago.

“This knowledge that I am about to impart to you will open your eyes.” The place where the guardian had touched lit blue, her fingers looked almost spirit - like as the colors glowed. “It is in the becoming and unbecoming of your will that shapes you into who you will be. Your mind and heart are always at war, but it should be in their peace where your power must come from.”

Nesta felt warmth crash over her, a new energy given out, a familiarity with what ability she had. Her whole body shook at the power that entered into her system. She felt and saw the colors surrounding her, brighter and stronger than before. Nesta commanded the small fibers with her fingertips. Things that she didn’t know about her powers was starting to piece together.

The guardian placed a soft kiss on her forehead, a seal to the incantation.

When the priestess opened her eyes, her icy blues were as vibrant as the moon. Cassandra smiled proudly. “Our sister...” The guardian bowed, her entanglement with energy something she worked hard for. Cassandra was a vessel for the court’s past and future lives, her title an evident proof of the talent. She was truly honored to serve Zeitu’s daughter.

The guardian’s lips were put together in a peaceful line and her eyes were bright with happiness. She reached for the young girl’s cheek, cupping it with her right hand. “ An unbendable mind comes with taming your demons. The figure that lives inside your head is everything you are not. Take control.”

There were no words spoken by the priestess. She only nodded, her whole body buzzing with the new found power. “Go now, daughter of time, redeem our crumbling court. Wake up from your slumber.”

 

* * *

 

Nesta jolted awake.

She found herself in their apartment, a terrified Uncle Iroh sitting right next to her with a towel around his hands. There was a bucket of water placed idly in front of her. Her eyes scanned the room for a familiar scarred face; Zuko was no where to be found.

“Nesta!” He exclaimed joyfully. The old man let go of the wet cloth and wrapped his arms around the confused girl. “You were having a fever. It was terrifying!” Iroh hurriedly grabbed his tea pot and poured a cup of tea for the girl. “Here, have a drink, it will make you feel better.”

The priestess let the aroma of calming oolong enter her system. She chugged down the contents of the cup, not really caring if it was scorching hot. Nesta mumbled a thank you, too engrossed in her thoughts to even speak. The girl placed a hand to calm her beating heart. It was only a dream but why did it feel so real? She remembered what the guardian had told her. The priestess closed her eyes to check on the figure inside her head. The walls were still in-tact, the eyes that mirrored hers were burning with unexplained fury. The warmth that lingered in her was still there. It was somehow comforting to feel it still burning.

Iroh noticed the girl. “What’s the matter?”

Nesta’s eyes fluttered awake. She hesitated for a second but the words left her mouth too soon. “Would you believe me if I told you I was born of a spirit?”

The old man furrowed his brows and let out a hearty laugh. “It’s the fever talking, Nesta.”

The priestess raised a brow. It was so absurd to hear herself telling people of her origins. She was stupid to think that Iroh would believe her but she was also mad that he didn’t. The girl was all alone then. Maybe it’s safer to keep it herself. Nesta stood up from her position, legs still wobbly but her resolve firm. She walked to the door, her hands almost turning the knob when Iroh spoke.

“Where are you going?” The old man asked.

“I need a walk, is all.” Nesta left without another word.

Iroh sighed. He knew the truth. When the young girl glowed in her slumber, it was hard to deny that she was a spirit. The man didn’t want the girl to feed on her own power. There were question of hers that the old man dared not to answer. It should not come from him. If he did acknowledge her origins, the conversation might have gone differently.

It was a dangerous path he didn’t dare take.

 


	11. Captive in Thoughts

**CAPTIVE IN THOUGHTS**

* * *

_Zeitu, the daughter of peace and light, went on to train with the wisdom given by the Lion Turtles. She used the energy of her surroundings to create a link to certain periods. The past, present and future were terms first used by the ancient spirit._

_\- An account from the book “Spiritual Mythology”_

* * *

 

Nesta hated time to think.

The priestess would often rely on her work load to keep her busy. She did odd jobs - from trimming the zen garden to agreeing to wash the dishes for Zuko - anything to keep her away from her thoughts. However, all her efforts of distraction was futile against the need to conquer the figure inside her head. Since the revelation of her ancestry, the priestess had a few occurrences of completely zoning out while accepting guests. Her episodes would often stretch forth within minutes to a whole hour. Shaking her out of it would be no use and helping her ease her mental block wasn’t that helpful. She would still find herself unwillingly stuck inside her mind.

Iroh decided that the Nesta was better off doing house chores rather than neglecting her responsibilities as a receptionist.

The young woman was washing her clothes when a dull ache blossomed. She sunk on the counter, hands immediately grabbing her temples as the pain persisted. Nesta closed her eyes for a minute of relief. When her icy blues fluttered awake, her mouth immediately pressed into a thin line.

The priestess found herself once again trapped in her mind games. She stared at the copy of her sitting inside her head. The reflection’s smile was mocking and her long fingers played with the strands of her silver hair. The young girl didn’t understand the presence of the figure. It made her feel uneasy, as if its whole body devoured every single space to breathe in. She recalled her Matron’s words regarding the topic.

Nesta dampened her lips. It was a relentless banter of questions left unanswered. The priestess patiently waited for a reply, only to be met by silence. “Who are you?” It was the tenth time she asked the question. Her voice echoed inside her head.

The figure shifted in her seat to mimic the young girl. “I’m Nesta.” Her answer was short, simple and unexpected.

Nesta furrowed her brows in return. She held on to her mental blocks, though it failed to shield her away from the menacing apparition. “No, I’m Nesta. You’re just a figment of my imagination.”

The figure laughed, her eyes staring daggers at her. “There can only be one.” The young woman who claimed to be Nesta pulled out a broadsword. She stood up and quickly positioned herself to fight. The figure’s form was immaculate. Her aura was taunting, a small challenging smile playing on her lips. The priestess knew that no matter how hard she would train herself, she can never get on that level. “Fight me, priestess.”

Nesta sighed. She was foolish to think that trading swords with Zuko was the answer to her physical weakness. Her court believed in peace. In the moment that the priestess took a dive into violence, the figure found another breaking point to strengthen itself with.

“I won’t fight you.” Nesta stared at the figure as it slowly bled into reality. The young woman gone as quickly as she came.

The priestess sighed as she finished off her laundry. Soon enough, She heard three loud knocks on the door. It burst open subsequently, revealing a frustrated Zuko with a flyer in between his hands. Nesta raised a brow at the young man’s mood. He sat down on the floor, unrolling the piece of paper. It was a picture of a bison and an air monk. _‘The Avatar’_ The priestess thought.

“Why are you home so early?” She asked, grabbing a cup of water to give to the prince. The girl started to miss his despicable presence. It distracted her from whatever shit show her mind was conjuring. She would get into heated arguments with the young prince, only for the sake of entertaining herself. Their training mostly consisted of an hour of bickering and a few minutes of drawn swords. It was weirdly refreshing but it had to stop. The figure in her head was using it against her.

Zuko snatched the cup away from the woman’s hands. “A man offered Uncle his own teashop. Pao sent me home.” Nesta was surprised to finally hear something civilized come out of the prince’s mouth. She frowned as she sat down beside him, the thought of their trainings gnawing at her.

The prince raised a brow at the proximity. “That’s good to hear.” Nesta’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. She turned to face Zuko, her heart hammering against her chest. “Zuko, I need to talk to you.”

The young man continued to chug down the contents of the cup. He tried so hard not to act intrigued about what the priestess had to say. Now that they were moving in another apartment, she had so much more to clean. “Make it quick, I don’t have time for this.”

Nesta nodded as she pursed her lips. She hesitated for a second, her hands immediately grabbing the sleeves of her dressing gown. “After that fever, I have a lot on my mind lately and I think the swords... aren’t helping.” The priestess closed her eyes. Zuko will eventually ask about what she knew of his mother, Nesta would tell the truth.

The prince, however, whipped his head to face the young girl. His grip on the flyer tightened and his eyes burned with annoyance and hatred. “Now you tell me this, after all the nights I’ve spent trying to teach you when I could have searched for the Avatar?” He stood up from his seat, flicking the paper away from him whilst pointing accusingly at the priestess. “You’re really a useless temple girl!”

Nesta’s eyes watered as she felt the heat radiating off the young man. Fire benders were naturally warm, Zuko was burning at this point. Her hands went to her face, shielding herself away from the heat the boy emitted. “I’m not useless!”

The prince rolled his eyes mockingly at the sight of the young priestess. “Oh sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” He grabbed her chin and forcibly made him look at him. “Are you going to cry now?” Tears stained the boy’s finger tips. It sizzled as it reached his palm. It was the first time he was unapologetic when it came to her.

Nesta pushed him away, her fists were balled and her teeth gritted. “You’re such a prick!” She momentarily took a hold of Zuko’s aura, the young boy’s breath hitched as he felt the heat of his body traveling inward. The priestess furrowed her brows. He doesn’t need to know about her powers. Nesta released her grip, the figure inside her head suddenly coming into view. She was frowning. “Why do you even hate me so much!”

Zuko dismissed the feeling as one of his hot flashes. “You wanna know why?” The young man looked away. He can’t bear to look at her without seeing Azula. “Because you’re perfect, okay?! Somehow, you were born with these magical powers, a dashing earthly beauty and some ‘golden heart’ that makes you so ‘pure’. Everybody loves you!”

Nesta suppressed the urge to take a hold of his aura once again. She must not use her powers simply because of a stupid quarrel. “I don’t see that as an issue, Zuko.” She tried to say as calmly as possible.

Zuko’s hands went to his hair as he pulled a few strands in frustration. “I do! I had to struggle to be who I am today, and I’m still not enough. My father still won’t acknowledge me as his son!” He stared at the young girl’s face, free from any disfiguration. A pang of jealousy hit him. “It’s not like you have a scar to remind you of your broken honor, anyway. You always had it easy, because you’re perfect. You’ve never even suffered a day of your life!”

The priestess eyes widened at the claim. Did he seriously say she had it easy? “How could you.” That was the line he crossed. Nesta took a moment to make sure her mental walls were intact. She stood up from her seat, her fingers which she fought hard to keep to herself pointed at the young man. “How could you assume that my life has always been a breeze! All you care about is yourself, your pride, your honor that skies knows your father can’t even restore!” Zuko felt some kind of prickling sensation. He tried to shrug it off but it was too hard to ignore.

The young girl aggressively rolled her sleeves upward. “Your scar is nothing compared to this stupid tattoo - that every time I see myself in the mirror I constantly need to remind myself of the responsibility I have for my court because they laid their life for me where I couldn’t even bat an eye on the place where they were slain! Can’t you see that I am just as flawed as you are?!” Their faces were closest they’ve ever been. Gold ones glared at Icy blues, a foreign emotion washing over the girl.

The prince was firm with his opinion. “No, Nesta. We’re entirely different. You don’t know what you’re even talking about!” He broke her gaze, turning away from the woman.

“You came into my life screaming ‘Oh hey! I’m a chosen one. Please teach me how to fight because I don’t know how to control my powers and I may cause emotional distress to the people around me. You’ll love me anyway because I’m beautiful and also gloriously useless!’” Zuko flailed his arms. He felt the heat radiating off him singe his skin. The prince let out a shaky sigh. He tried to calm himself down.

“Sometimes I wonder if you are really worth dying for, seeing as the first reaction to any harm done to you is crying and begging. Go grow thicker skin first and then come back to save your dying court later.” It was a deep whisper against the girl’s suppressed sobs.

Nesta felt her heart finally sink at what the boy said. She furrowed her brows. Enough was enough. He was right, crying and begging won’t get her anywhere. “I guess you’re right, Zuko. We’re different.” She wiped away her tears and tried to stop whimpering.

Zuko raised a brow at the girl’s resignation. That was easy. “Well, took you long enough to notice.” He watched as the girl rummaged through their cupboards and pulled out a satchel. The priestess approached the prince, her hands checking the contents of her bag. Nesta felt a surge of confidence when she cupped a familiar mask inside it.

“I’m so sorry I compared myself to you. You have yourself to worry about while I have my entire court and the people who believe in it to uphold to. I hope you know the difference between selfless and selfish because I believe I am not the latter.” She did an entire shift of the conversation with the thoughts she was dying to tell. Zuko was about to protest, his finger igniting a flame when the girl presented the object she’s been holding.

She shoved his mask against his chest, the blue design of it a stark contrast against the young boy’s skin. “You dropped this in our last training .” She looked at Zuko, tears still stained her face but her words flew freely out of her mouth without failure. “I know about your midnight expeditions; helping starved mothers feed their children, sheltering beggars, scaring off bandits. You could have got yourself in trouble with the authorities but you chose to do it anyway.”

The prince growled at the woman who was about to leave the apartment. She momentarily stopped, looking back at the young boy. Another thought haunted her. “It’s sad. I’ve always believed that you can be a better person but you keep on living behind your father’s shadow...” Nesta looked away. “entirely by choice.”

Zuko felt his face heat up as the door finally shut close. He waited a few minutes, the mask he held touching the floor as the rage inside of him swirled. Who was she to assume that he was living in his father’s shadow. He ran outside, Nesta was already miles apart the building with Senj in tow. “Leave! I don’t care if you do! I’ll tell Uncle that you’re never coming back!” The prince screamed from the third floor.

It was the first time the priestess didn’t regret leaving.

 

* * *

  

The day promised more mysteries than Nesta anticipated.

It was a long walk towards the site and her feet were already aching. The sun was about to set when she finally entered the middle ring. She passed by a funny looking water tribe boy and a blind girl posting paper on the walls. They noticed her presence and then gave her flyers reminiscent of those that Zuko held. The priestess furrowed her brows. It must be a few of the Avatar’s friends.

“What’s the Avatar doing in Ba Sing Se?” The girl’s mouth slipped. She immediately bit her tongue. What was she thinking? The last thing that the priestess wanted was unnecessary attention.

“Wait a minute.” The boy frowned as the small girl shoved her way towards the priestess. Her eyes were staring blankly at her but her body language was menacing. Nesta recoiled as the blind girl drew closer. “What are you?”

The words were stuck in her tongue as the priestess held her breath. Did the girl sense who she is? “Toph! You don’t ask that to a stranger!” Water tribe boy bowed apologetically as he grabbed the collar of the little girl. “I’m so sorry, we need to get going. It’s nice to meet you.”

Nesta sighed. That was a close one. She bowed in return, her feet dragging lazily on the ground as the two walked away.

“Now that was disrespectful.” Sokka reprimanded the young girl as soon as they covered a proper distance from the stranger. He turned to stare at Toph, who looked like she was lost in her thoughts. The boy got down to the earth bender’s level. He poked the girl’s shoulder just to make sure she was there. “Earth to Toph!”

“Listen here.” Toph reached out and pulled the boy’s ponytail. Sokka screeched, the flyers in his hand slipping out from his grip. “That girl we just met is definitely not normal.”

“S-Stop!” He swatted the hand away, falling down in the process. His hands went to caress his aching bottom. “What do you mean?” He glared at the blind girl, the flyers messily splayed on the ground.

“I can sense her... but it’s like she’s floating in mid-air or something.” The boy’s eyes widened at the revelation. Does that mean...

“She’s a ghost!” Sokka screamed once again, another batch of flyers flying out of his hands. As soon as the sound escaped his lips, a rock collided with the back of his head. For a boy who loves to plan out strategies, Sokka was an idiot.

 

* * *

 

Nesta took a moment to massage her aching feet. She finally reached her destination; it was a visible bold spot against the richness of the Middle ring forest. The burnt trees now served as a marker for those who died for her, its trunks still felt fresh from the tragedy. The young priestess rummaged her satchel for the incense and the spark rocks she bought to pray for her clairvoyants. She took out the cup and lit it before one of the trees. Senj was sleeping quietly behind the bushes.

Facing her demons was one thing, conquering them was another. 

Nesta bowed her head. “My clairvoyants, my Matron. I lay before you to honor your death. May our mother Zeitu...” The priestess paused at the ancient prayer. It felt weird calling Zeitu her mother, knowing that she really is the spirit who gave birth to her. Nesta shook her head to clear her thoughts. She had to continue the prayer. ”...fill your days with peace and happiness. May your souls and the souls of many before us rejoice in your sacrifice and if time comes that we might meet again, grant me the strength to accept the things I’ve done, that I might live my life knowing that it was not wasted in vain. Spirits...” There was a tranquil silence as she blew unto the flame that ignited the incense. “...hear my plea.”

At that moment Nesta felt the weight of the bodies before her. It was as if they stood behind her back, their hands outstretched and ready to grant her the peace she longed for. She saw an image of her Matron smiling and felt her hands encase her. The priestess ignored the figure inside her head, ignored the mental blocks and ignored the raging thoughts she had of Zuko. Nesta focused on the feeling of finally being embraced again, a weight lifted from her chest.

She thought of the days ahead of her and the mission her shoulders carried. It was a sacrifice and not murder - a source of turmoil that the priestess had to overcome. Nesta now understood the gravity of what the court gave up for her to fullfill the vision. It was indeed the promise in which she made and lived out. “I won’t let you down.” A sense of purpose filled her as the incense finally burned out.

There was a sudden movement from the corner.

Nesta pulled her mental walls up and grabbed the sheathed swords. The priestess didn’t know why she still carried those with her. She figured that it was safer to drive off future threats with it. “Well, well... look what we have here. The last living priestess of the Traveling court.” A deep voice resounded through out the space.

“What do you want from me?” Nesta reached in for the handle, eyes calculating the forest. She had a strong urge to cry but the girl remembered what Zuko told her. It’s time to prove him wrong. The priestess narrowed her eyes at the shadowy figure in front of her.

“The usual, a glimpse of a future if you must.” She heard feet shuffling. The dark of the night a strong disadvantage. “So you’re finally paying respect to your slain elders. What took you so long?”

Nesta sighed. She concentrated on summoning her power, the whole world lit anew with colors. In the far corner there was a dark aura standing idly. The priestess unsheathed her swords. “My timing is none of your business.” Nesta pointed at the figure, her hands trembling with the weight of the broadsword. “Show yourself.”

“Do you seriously think two broadswords can scare me?” The figure stepped forward, its green robes caught the girl by surprised.

“Dai Li...!” As soon as the words left her mouth, a stone hand came after her. Nesta eyes widened. She did what she could think of and immediately dropped her swords. Her hands then fell into a unfamiliar rhythm, her arms encircling and commanding every stray tendril of the bender’s energy. She grabbed the fibers with a swift swing of her arms, homing it at the stone hand. As the two colors met, the rock exploded. Nesta let out a surprise grunt. Uncle Iroh’s quick thinking tests finally paid off. She composed herself, her feet wide and her stance alert.

Long Feng raised his eyebrow. “And they told me you’re not an element bender.”

Nesta’s new found confidence fueled her speech. “I’m not.”

“then who are you?” The old man threw some rocks at her. All of which exploded at the moment the girl stomped her feet. She quietly rejoiced in the thought of her ability.

Nesta opened her palm. “My name is no importance. It is what I am that you’re after for.”

Long Feng grinned. “Smart girl.”

The priestess was about to suppress his energy when her reflection unexpectedly kicked the walls of her mind. The figure inside of her head protested at the method she used to battle. The silver haired girl pointed at the broadswords that she got a hold of. Nesta furrowed her brows as her hands clutched her head. Long Feng saw the pause as an opportunity to attack. He lifted his hands, his power grabbing a patch of earth and chucked it at the girl.

Nesta was thrown a back by the movement, rocks now encasing her, feet and hands held captive by stone. She screamed. The young girl squirmed against the earth’s grip. What was that all about? She tried to channel her inner vision but all she could see was darkness. 

Long Feng approached her. “My agents will be here soon. Do you mind if we wait?”

Nesta tried to summon the energy but her hands and feet were bound so tightly. “I don’t understand! You’re supposed to protect the culture of Ba Sing Se. Our court runs deep with the relations of your monarch!”

“You’re a dangerous refugee wanted outside the wall. You’ll bring us more use if you’re under the mercy of the Dai Li than of the Fire Lord.” The old man yanked the girl upward. Nesta screamed once again, tears that she’s been holding back finally pouring out. Senj jolted awake. The ostrich horse neighed, catching the attention of the old man and then it ran off to the forest. Long Feng tried to throw a stone hand at it but the beast continued on with its trek. No use in following a creature without an owner.

“then bind me in a cell? What difference does it make?” The girl barked, half-suppressed whimpers bubbling in her throat.

“Knowledge.” Dai Li agents started showing up. They carried her to a small carriage, the girl’s mouth being tied with a piece of cloth.

“Besides, I think you’ll enjoy your stay in Lake Laogai.” Long Feng grinned, his hands itching with the power he was about to unravel.

 


	12. Revelations

**REVELATIONS**

* * *

  _“In the era before the Avatar, we bent not the elements, but the energy within ourselves. To bend another's energy, your own spirit must be unbendable, or you will be corrupted and destroyed."_

* * *

 

Zuko stared at the entirety of Ba Sing Se from their window.

His Uncle was seated at the table, preaching about settling down with a normal life style. In these slumps? Zuko knew he can do better than this. He clenched his fist as the old man continued on. “We have a chance for a new life here. If you start stirring up trouble we can lose all the good things that are happening for us.”

“Good things that are happening for you! Have you ever thought I want more to life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea.” Zuko whipped his head to face Iroh. The prince was destined for greater things. He knew that his destiny was to the Avatar and restoring his honor. Zuko was almost there. Ba Sing Se couldn’t be that enormous.

Iroh sighed as he nephew turned around, his back now against the old man. “There’s nothing wrong with a life of peace and prosperity, I suggest that you think about what it is that you want from your life and why.” From the many years that Iroh gave advice to Zuko, he wished that the young boy did learn something from the things he said and the things that happened to him.

Zuko closed his eyes. “I want my destiny.” An image of Nesta haunted her mind. ‘You keep on living behind your father’s shadow entirely by choice.’ The prince gritted his teeth. He knew what his destiny was, unlike the young girl, he had a goal - to capture the Avatar.

Iroh pursed his lips. The old man wished that Zuko would realize what he was really pertaining to. “What that means is up to you.” Iroh watched his nephew grab a cup of water from the sink. He raised his brow at the unfinished dishes still bubbling with soap. Knowing Nesta, she never left chores undone. The old man felt the lack of the presence in the house.

Iroh searched for the familiar raven haired girl. “Nesta could help me with naming the shop. Have you seen her?” If memory serves him right, one of the things that the priestesses of their court excel in is the art of poetry. Their books were filled with rhymes and rhythms expertly woven together to mimic their power - timeless.

The prince grunted, his fist immediately clenching at the mention of her name. “She left and she’s never coming back.” Zuko dumped the cup on the pile of dishes. It clattered as one of the plates hit the rim of the wooden cup. The boy knew Iroh always favored Nesta over him. It was evident as day.

“What?!” The old man exclaimed. His hands went to his face as he tried to stop the incoming headache blossoming. He stared at Zuko who still didn’t turn to face him. There must be some fight that ensued between the teenagers while Iroh was busy with the teashop. Though Nesta did pick up their trainings quickly, she was still vulnerable against those who mastered physical combat. “Why did you allow her to leave? Do you not realize how important she is to the-”

Zuko exploded at his uncle’s words. He hated it when he was talking about Nesta’s superficial role to whatever entity she was dedicated to. “Important to what?! I don’t get why you like her so much! She’s a useless crybaby and she doesn’t even know what she’s doing with her life.” He approached the old man, holding up the injury he had because of the knife the priestess carelessly cut him with. The scar was healing, save for the fact that his palm had a disfigured line across it.

Iroh was still calm. He knew his nephew felt a pang of jealously since he was giving most of his attention to the girl. However, that did not justify his demeaning remarks about her uselessness. “I became your guardian when you were lost and banished with nowhere to go. Nesta is in the same situation. You need to understand her, Prince Zuko.” She was still learning about her powers. With no proper master and Iroh having little to no experience on her ability, Nesta was as lost as a deer in a snow storm.

Zuko fumed. He hated how everyone’s lips uttered the name. ‘Nesta is this, Nesta is that.’ It’s always about Nesta and how perfect and in dire need of help she is. He saw an image of Azula in her, but at least his sister had the strength to protect herself. Even his Uncle Iroh, the only person who’s there for him, seem to like her more. “I’m your nephew for spirits sake! You act as if she’s the legitimate niece and I’m the outcast!”

The old man’s eyes softened at his raging nephew. He had never meant to hurt him that way. Iroh thought that his nephew understood what he’s trying to instill in both of them. The old man was investing his time to ensure that the teenagers would not be led astray. They both had crucial roles in this world, Nesta’s power still undiscovered while Zuko’s often hovered out of control. His heart sunk at what young boy said. “Zuko, I see you both equally, as a student and my nephew .”

Zuko noticed the sudden change of demeanor. The prince sighed as he assumed a seat beside the man. Iroh was so engrossed in shaping Nesta that he didn’t notice his nephew was spiraling out of control. Zuko knew he was way past the stage Nesta was in. Maybe he just missed being trained by his uncle. Guilt clouded his mind.

The prince felt a comforting pressure on his shoulder. He looked away, still hurt because of the whole ordeal. “If Nesta wants to leave, let her leave.”

Iroh withdrew his hand. His lips immediately pursed into a thin line. “That I cannot agree with.” Zuko’s neck craned towards the old man, the furious look in his eyes once again alive. “Her power is the rawest of forms. It precedes bending and is far dangerous than simply holding fire.” The old man recalled the scroll he read from Nesta’s satchel. Along with it was a small book, a headpiece and a mask reminiscent of what Ida wore. She forgot to tidy up after one of her reading sessions yesterday. Iroh accidentally skimmed past the text, mistaking it for another recipe she came up.

Nesta already knew about her powers and how destructive it can be to her environment and the wielder. She cannot leave now, not when she needs the old man’s guidance the most. “I promised to guide her.”

The prince put down his hand on the table, empty teacups flying in the process. “You didn’t promise her anything! You’re just making things up!”

“I promised Ida.” Iroh’s voice was calm with a hint of lament. He recalled his days in the Spirit World and the weeks he spent with the Traveling court. He owed them so much in those years. Ida was forgiving of his actions, she made him realize that the war they’re fighting wasn’t worth it. “Her Matron - she was my bridge to the Spirit  
world. Ida gave up the last tendril of her abilities to help me find peace in Lu Ten’s death. It’s the least I can do to repay her.” Ida was indeed his childhood friend turned lifetime companion.

Zuko scowled. He understood the emotional brevity his uncle had with the Matron. Sometimes, the old man just needed to realize that some favors have their own limitations. “You repaid her enough.”

Just as Zuko’s lips uttered the last line, a loud neigh resounded through out the apartment complex followed by a series of shouting. Iroh’s eyes shot to the door, the old man standing up wordlessly to check on the commotion. Zuko followed suit. From a far, they saw a familiar ostrich horse being held by a bunch of apartment dwellers. It was Senj.

Iroh was the first to bolt out at the sight of Nesta’s stallion. He weaved through the crowd, shouting at the boys who captured the beast. “That’s my niece’s! Stay back!”

The crowd thinned out as Zuko grabbed the ostrich horse and tried to calm him down. The beast was livid, a bunch of bruises littered his thin body and its feet were thick with mud. A young man approached the tea master, stones in his hands. “Mushi, we found this around his legs.”

Iroh examined the stones shaped to look like a hand. “These are... Dai Li weapons.” He turned to Zuko, who brushed the ostrich horse’s feathers. The young man raised his eyebrows at the stone gloves. “Nesta is in danger.” Iroh uttered gravely.

The prince nodded, his golden eyes alive with purpose and intention. “I’ll look for her, Uncle.” It was a small light at the end of tunnel, the young man knew it would be a waste if he didn’t take it.

That night, without Iroh’s knowledge, Zuko went for a quest to search for the Avatar. It was his priority after all.

Nesta can wait.

* * *

 

The cellar was dark and humid.

A small candle illuminated the place, bright enough for Nesta to see a hallucination of the figure inside her head. The silver-haired woman sat beside her. Her legs were crossed and her lips dangerously close to the young girl’s ears. “Nesta... “ Its voice was a harsh whisper against the silence. “Fight me.”

The priestess hands went to her ears. She tried to mute the persistent muttering. The young girl thought of a possible escape plan but the shadow beside her made it hard to so. She was about to perish in this spirits-forsaken cell because of this entity that haunted her mind. Nesta didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye to Iroh. “Please, I don’t want to fight you. I have to get out first.” The girl sighed, all her tears were already dry from pointless sulking.

The figure grinned, delicate hands playing with Nesta’s raven hair. “You can’t get out. Remember what Zuko said, you’re a useless good for nothing temple girl.”

Nesta clenched her fist at the words. “I’m still learning to control my powers.” The priestess turned her head to face the shadow, only to find it standing a feet away from her with imaginary swords in both hands.

“It’s too late.” The silver-haired woman presented the broadswords to the young girl. She taunted her, motioning Nesta to move forward and challenge her abilities. “Take the broadswords and fight me.”

The priestess stood up. Enough is enough. “No.”

“Why are you so stubborn?” As soon as the words flew out of her mouth, the figure charged at Nesta with swords ready to stab her. She quickly stepped to the side and then grabbed the woman by the collar. Her hands redirected the swords, the blades now pointing against the shadow’s neck while her whole body is being encased by the priestess. It was a trick Zuko taught her which somehow, Nesta was grateful of learning. It made her feel oddly in control. Her fingers quivered as the longing to draw blood grew greater.

“Move and I won’t hesitate to slice you.” The young girl said between gritted teeth. Her eyes widened at how her lips uttered the threat. It didn’t sound like herself.

The figure laughed at the action. “Kill me.”

The priestess realized right then the game that was being played. If she gave in to what the shadow wants, evil will devour her whole being. The girl remembered her Matron’s words. The figure is everything that she is not. “No.” She dropped the swords and slowly backed away from the silver haired woman. “My court is a peaceful court and it will remain as that.”

The entity went livid. She kicked the broadswords, an accusing finger pointing at the girl. “Coward! Look at what we’ve become! Our clairvoyants died for us and you act ungrateful!” She wanted Nesta to taste the violence. She had already seen the beauty of it, she just had to equip herself with hatred that it brought. The priestess was powerful and there’s no doubt that she can take away bending with just a flick of her hand. It would come in handy when it came to the war.

Nesta noticed her use of inclusion, we and us. “I am not you.”

The figure grabbed the young lady’s shoulders, shaking it as she screamed. “We’re both Nesta, we are one and the same! If you don’t want to fight me, merge with me, we can be the most powerful mortal alive!” Its eyes widened and the figure’s mouth was big with a menacing smile. “We can kill the Fire Lord and end all of the Fire Benders! We can restore our place in this world!”

Nesta took note of the lady’s words. She was trying to lead her thoughts astray, trying to feed her with everything her identity did not relinquish in. The priestess shook her head. They were a court of peace and not revenge. Nesta knew now why she used to be so drawn to violence, it was something that opposed her being. “That’s not what I’m supposed to become.”

“Then who are you!” The figure watched as the girl positioned herself. Her left foot was leading, hands placed in front of her. She pointed at the silver haired woman with two fingers. The other hand was clenched. Nesta saw how dark and dull the energy that surrounded her. Maybe the shadow was right, there can only be one Nesta.

The figure felt the woman take a hold of her aura. She choked out a cry, her hands flying towards her neck. Nesta stared at her with the force of her whole identity. She wasn’t a murderer, not a person of violence and she did not seek for revenge. She was born of the prayers and pleas of her people, a moment of hope, a promise of a new beginning. “I am the daughter of time, descendant of light and peace and I bend energy to my will. Your evil will bow before me.”

Nesta slowly made a vertical movement with her fingers as if she was motioning for the figure to bow. The shadow squirmed uncontrollably, hands clawing at the feeling of being suffocated. Light begun seeping through the middle as it slowly devoured her whole reflection. Nesta watched as her mirror image was being sucked out of the world, her screams a reminder to the young girl.

She is everything that the priestess was not.

Nesta sighed. She sat down and checked for her mental barriers. It was still good and intact, the only thing that struck her is that the priestess was finally seeing the entirety of the wall from the middle of her mind. She felt the energy coursing through her veins, can taste the static in the air that surrounded her. With a small smile, the girl tried to bend the tendrils of energy around her. It swirled in her hands before finally settling to a ball. The priestess released her bundle, an array of colors hitting the fading figure.

Nesta is an energy bender. She didn’t have a spirit to hold on to, she was a spirit and a mortal alike and she will not let anyone corrupt her.

The girl knew she wasn’t useless like Zuko assumed her to be. She just needed to bid her time and learn at her own pace.


	13. Burning Bridges

**BURNING BRIDGES**

* * *

Nesta banged at the cell relentlessly that night.

“Let me out of here!” The girl screamed, throwing herself against the bars. With the recent discovery of her abilities comes the limitations of energy bending - she can only bend a person’s life energy and not the energy of her surroundings. The priestess screamed in frustration. She was almost there, her hands posed to bend the fibers of the air, but the small pieces would slip out of her fingers the minute she was to release it. Her actions made her realize the difference of her talent to those of the benders.

Nesta slumped against the cell. She almost wished that the broadswords were real. That would make it easier to hack out of this hellhole.

Just when the girl was about to enter another screaming fit, the door creaked open. Her ears perked up and her whole body tensed. A dark shadow stood in front of the priestess’ cell, dimly put together, the moon serving as the only source of light in her area. It beamed past her shoulders, illuminating the wooden necklace wrapped around her neck. It was a gift from one of the earth village children, when times were simpler and the only fault that Nesta had was sneaking out of the temples. She miss her life. It’s like she’s a whole other person now.

The girl absentmindedly grabbed the wooden piece, her hands longing for the comfort it brought. She stumbled back in her cell, the light hitting her nose, her blue eyes alive with the moon. The figure stopped in his tracks at the familiarity of her face. “N-Nesta?” A shrill childish voice called out.

Nesta recognized the voice right away. “Iroka?!” She exclaimed, struggling to drag herself to the edge of the cell to take a better look at the shadow. The kid stepped forward, hands meeting the girl’s open palms, his arms wrapped around the metal dividing them.

He looked thinner since the priestess last saw him. He was dirtied up and obviously malnourished. The young woman ran her hand past his greasy hair. She gazed at the sight, his sad eyes pulling at her heartstrings. “Iroka, what are you doing here?!”

“Nesta!” There were tears prickling the boy’s face as he looked away to hide them. He was promised a good life when the Dai Li told them about his mother’s whereabouts. ‘Just be a good boy and we’ll release your mom.’ Iroka worked at the cells, cleaning prisons and barely even getting food. He was only ten years old. “I found my mother! but she’s trapped. They hypnotized her...”

Nesta saw the hurt in his eyes. The officials were absolutely sick - making children work for them and hypnotizing mothers. She passed by a bunch of women repeating the same phrase all over again and saw kids sweeping the hallways while she was dragged to her cell. The priestess wondered why the earth king tolerated this kind of behavior. Knowing the Dai Li, it must have been a secret agenda. “The Dai Li are monsters.” She used to think so highly of them.

The young boy nodded at the phrase “They asked me to bring this to a special prisoner. I never knew it was you.” It was a tray containing a bowl half-filled with congee and a cup of diluted tea. Nesta imagined how Iroh would react to the contents. She suppressed a small smile, her attention then focused at the boy, who gazed at her with intention.

Iroka’s eyes were pleading. “Please, Nesta. Help me rescue my mother.”

Nesta sighed, setting a side the food to talk to the boy. Her hands reached out to pat the kid’s shoulder. She tried so hard to reassure him she was still the girl the priestess used to be, confident and daunting. Hope was a necessity in this dark area. “We’ll find her. I just have to figure out a way to escape this prison cell.” The girl trailed off. She eyed the tea cup, steam rising from the transparent color. “Wait! I have an idea. Tell the guards that I’ve come down with a fever. I’ll take it from there.”

“Will you be alright?” Iroka watched as the priestess dipped her finger in the cup. He didn’t have a single idea what the girl was about to do. The priestess’ eyes widened as heat enveloped her pointer.

“I will.” Nesta bit her lip. She blew at the teacup, making sure that her face won’t be scorched by the water. The girl planned on faking a fever through gently rubbing some hot tea on her face and neck. Hopefully the smell wasn’t strong enough to be noticed. Her eyes traveled to Iroka’s face, who looked lost. “Stay close to me when I bust out.” It was the only instruction he needed. “and bring some rope.”

Nesta’s heart hammered in her chest as the door closed. It was her first time applying all of what she learnt from Iroh to a situation like this. She knew that the people out there won’t hesitate to attack her. They were about to extract knowledge from her, but that didn’t mean they’ll treat her like a princess in doing so. She took a minute to think about the plan: fake a sickness, hopefully get dragged by an official, use his bending against him and tie him done with a rope. It was easy right?

Boy was Nesta so wrong.

The moment she heard numerous footsteps approaching the cell, her vision crossed and her hands shook uncontrollably. She slathered the tea against her skin, slumping behind the hay used as a sorry excuse for a bed. The coldness of the cell worked wonders for her stunt. Her skin felt hot against the stone.

The door slammed open. The priestess almost jolted upright at the sound. She slowly turned to face the official, her eyes half-lidded to mimic sickness.

There were two. She can handle them, hopefully.

“I told you, we should have locked her up in a warmer cell! She’s a girl for spirits’ sake!” The taller one argued, jamming up a key to the metal lock. The shorter, more timid one, huffed at his words.

He clenched his stone fist. “It’s not our fault she’s weak and vulnerable.” The timid man approached the girl’s laying figure. He disembodied his weapon from his hand, reaching out to touch the priestess’ temple. “Well shit, she’s burning up.”

Taller man grabbed the girl’s arm and yanked her upward. Nesta grunted, an evident sway to her footsteps. Timid man screamed at the action. “What are you doing?! Long Feng wants her alive and not dead, idiot!” He put on his stone glove, stray fibers of energy surrounding the movement. Nesta used her feet to collect the tendrils, concealing it for lightheadedness.

They started walking to spirit knows where. The priestess hands were bound so tightly, each small movement another pressure added. Little did they know that the girl was collecting the bender’s energies as they walked. They were foolish enough to not carry her and bind her feet. She went from left to right, the action catching all the stray fibers of their aura that she can get. Nesta took her time building up the power and courage to turn against them. When they reached a dark point, the girl fake retched.

Both of the men stepped back, their faces wrinkled in disgust. “Would it hurt for you to warn us?!” The taller one exclaimed.

Nesta’s heart racketeered. In a blink of an eye, the girl faced them. The stone that gripped her hands flew past her and homed at both of the Dai Li’s faces. Tall one was hit square on the head, knocking him out almost instantly. Short one managed to dodge the attack, his feet about to command the earth to move. He kicked at the patch in front of him and tried to zoom past Nesta with his shoes. The Dai Li expected a large rock to come at the girl. He was surprised to see none, his stone shoes now a dead weight to his feet. The agent tried to summon his surveyor but the earth did not bend to his will. He was stuck.

Timid guy’s eyes trailed to where the priestess was. She was standing directly in front of him, fists clenched and her eyes furious. The Dai Li tried to earth bend his way out of it. None. His mind still in a state of shock at the lost of his bending abilities. “W-what are you?” His hat fell off his head, revealing the bender’s features. The man stumbled back, the stone shoes still held firm against the ground. Timid man tried to squirm away from the rock but he still can’t escape the stone encasing his feet. After all of the years of training, the forces never prepared him for this kind of attacker. She was... a witch.

Nesta smiled. She remembered what the man told her. “Weak and vulnerable.” The priestess slammed her fingers at one of the pressure points of the guy. He slumped, eyes rolling back in his head.

The girl sighed as she tried to calm down her beating heart. That was the first time she won a fight against anybody. It was an elite officer in that case! Her powers were indeed rare to render this guy useless. Not too long she heard a scream. Nesta whipped her head to the side, the sound of metal hitting something hard startled the woman. Her eyes searched for the source. It was Iroka, holding a pipe and and the unconscious taller Dai Li fast asleep. His arms were outstreched, as if he was about to bend earth.

The pipe bounced as it was instantly dropped to the floor. “I killed him!” The young boy went into a state of panic, hands flailing and face contorted into a look of horror. Nesta almost laughed as she dragged the smaller Dai Li towards his companion. She placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “No, you didn’t.” The priestess grabbed the rope that was tossed aside by the boy. “Now help me tie them up and undress the other one.”

The Dai Li uniform was a miserable fit, but at least Nesta looked more in tune with her surroundings. They left the two men in one of the cells near the site. The priestess hair was then weaved into a braid, her hands concealed behind the sleeves of the robe. She tipped the hat further to hide her face. Iroka walked beside her, his eyes scanning the hallway.

“Where’s your mother?” The girl whispered, eyeing a bunch of agents coming their way. She nodded as she passed by a few of them who also returned the action.

“She’s in this room with the other Joo Dee’s. It’s their rest time.” Iroka pointed at the wooden door. Nesta sneaked in to make sure there was no Dai Li present.

“Find her and make it quick, I’ll hold up.” The boy nodded as the young girl closed the door.

* * *

 

 

Zuko released the bison.

Iroh patted the boy’s back as they watched the creature wreck-havoc in its cell. It swirled around in circles before finally hitting the ceiling, the bison majestic as it flew away. He was happy to finally see his nephew realizing things. The old man smiled as he gave Zuko another one of his comforting pats. The boy grunted at the force but was happy to embrace the moment anyway. He missed his Uncle Iroh.

Zuko attempted a smile. He felt lightheaded but paid no heed. They still had to do one more thing. “Let’s find Nesta.”

Both of the men tracked cautiously in the winding tunnels. They passed by a few sweeping boys and hid whenever it was needed. Zuko saw a long clearing that led to the cell blocks. He surveyed the scene, eyes scanning any possible Dai Li in the way. Iroh stalked close, his hands up and ready to throw fire at the nearest enemy. The prince shared a knowing glance at his uncle. “We’re going to run.”

Iroh took off with a sprint, his body heavier than he anticipated it to be. Zuko followed, more agile, urging his uncle to run faster. They were almost half way through when a Dai Li agent appeared. The agent came from the door and was surprised to see two men running his way. Zuko went with what he could think of.

He punched the air in front of him, releasing fire from his clenched fists. The agent was nimble, his arms encircling to stop the flames, his feet firm against the ground. Iroh’s eyes widened as he watched the Dai Li reflect Zuko’s bending and redirect it at the old man. The tea master put his palms to his face and breathed out a column of fire. The figure in front was caught of guard. He tried to stop the fire but was greeted with another attack at his side.

There was a womanly shriek as Iroh saw the man barely getting burnt.

Zuko felt like he heard that voice before.

The men halted into a complete stop as they watched the figure scramble back. He blew off the edge of his uniform, the area around it burnt to crisp. His hat flew back, the dim light revealing freckled skin and womanly features. The prince and the old man froze at the sight.

It was Nesta.

Iroh immediately ran to her aid. He sucked up all the fire left from her robes and checked on the skin surrounding it. Luckily, she was spared from the burns. “Are you, alright? Did I burn you, child?”

Nesta was more than happy to see the old man. Her eyes trailed to a familiar prince who stood in the sidelines. She was still mad at him but the girl was weirdly surprised that they came after her. His eyebrow was furrowed, as if he was contemplating about what the girl just did. Nesta stood up and dusted off the burnt fabric. It was only up to her knees now. “I’m alright, I’ll explain later.”

As soon as the words flew out of her mouth, the door burst open revealing a screaming woman and a child that dragged her. Nesta’s hands went to rip off a piece of fabric from her skirt and immediately tied it around the woman’s mouth to muffle the shouts. She jabbed her fingers at one of the pressure points on her neck. The person slumped against Nesta’s back. She momentarily recoiled at the weight, heaving the body upward as far as she can.

Iroka went to her side to support his mother. Iroh and Zuko watched, confused at what was happening in front of them. Was Nesta going to kidnap a woman? “It’s not what you think!” The girl turned to the young boy, his unconscious mother getting heavier as time passed. “Iroka, we need to go! Lead us to the entrance!”

The young boy beside her nodded. Zuko watched as the priestess struggled with the body but still remained leading the pack to the entrance. He wondered about what had happened to her in the prison that made her into... this. She wasn’t crying anymore and she managed to find her way out of the cell. Nesta’s skin glowed against the woman behind her. Maybe they both realized things under that tunnel, hers much more external than the prince’s.

“It’s her!” A bunch of Dai Li emerged from the end of the hallway. The priestess turned to Iroka who caught her mother’s body just in time for her to turn away. Iroh went in to help the child, Zuko following suit.

The men simultaneously raised their hands and brought down rocks to cover the entrance. The priestess saw the movement and quickly collected all fibers of their energy in the air. It was different hues of green and it took the girl a solid minute to figure out which color matched with which. She mimicked their action and went to stop the debris, the weight of the rocks falling on her shoulders. Nesta’s breath hitched as her knees begun wobbling. Her arms were raised and a smaller tunnel was formed. She kept it up until all of the pack was able to pass by. The prince stood at the other end, watching a few of the Dai Li run the other way.

“Go! They want me! If they found out about you guys it’s end game for all of us!” The girl screamed, the tiny fibers of energy slowly disintegrating to air.

Zuko’s heart dropped as he remembered something he said to her not so long ago. _‘I don’t care if you’re breathing or dead. The next time you put my uncle and I’s identity at risk you’re out!’_ Now she was standing in front of them, risking her all just so they can escape. If the young man really want to change, It’s time to make things right.

The prince pushed her out of his way, their bodies colliding with each other as the rocks fell down from the place where Nesta was standing. They both rolled a few times before finally settling into a halt. A headache immediately blossomed in Zuko’s head at the action. He grabbed his temples, standing up from his position. Nesta urged him to climb through the tunnel, a gentle nudge on the shoulder kept him going.

As soon as they saw the light, the boy, his mother and Nesta went to a secluded area near the water. Iroka’s eyes were watery as he grabbed the young woman’s hands. “She doesn’t recognize me anymore.” Zuko watched as the duo dragged the woman behind a rock. He felt for the mask dangling on his belt, the weight of his decision coming with it. Iroh noticed the movement. The old man smiled at his nephew.

“You did the right thing, nephew.” He placed a gentle hand on his shoulders. “Leave it behind.”

The men watched as the blue mask sunk deeper into the water, its emotionless stare piercing as the elements devoured it.

Meanwhile, Nesta tried to comfort a crying Iroka. “What’s the use of saving her if she wakes up clueless!” The boy grabbed the unconscious woman’s hands and felt for the lines on her palm. It was the same as the last time he saw his mother. Iroka sobbed once again.

The priestess frowned at the sight. She knew her ability had the power to stir a person’s life energy but she wasn’t so sure if she can bend the woman’s mind back to her own senses. The girl stared at the sadness of the crying boy. She never knew a thing or two about family but Nesta knew the pain of losing someone. The girl sighed, she had to test her limits. “Step aside.” Her voice was a grave whisper against the roaring shouts of fighting.

The boy gazed at how Nesta’s arms swirled gracefully around his mother. She looked like she was dancing or some sort, eyebrows furrowed and eyes shut tight. Nesta tried so hard to stir the woman’s life energy. She skimmed past the blocked mind, her hands momentarily halted into a stop as the mental barrier hindered her to continue. With a loud grunt, the priestess clawed at the block, her fingers punctured deep within the aura of Iroka’s mother.

It started off as a gentle crack, light seeped through the opening slowly. Her fingers grabbed a chunk of the aura and then dug deeper at the hole. It was a beautiful sight, a rebirth as the books said. Nesta smiled. She knew she was the only one witnessing the show of colors.

Iroka’s mother stirred in her sleep, her lips uttering the boy’s name in the process. The young boy gasped at what he heard. “Mother!” His arms immediately wrapped around the sleeping finger. Nesta suddenly felt a sense of longing for a connection. What does it feel like to love and to be loved back? Now that her past was a story behind her, she had to focus on the quest ahead.

The girl’s attention then averted to the two men who waited patiently near the river. Maybe she had some sort of emotional connection after all. The priestess nodded before removing the wooden necklace tied around her neck. She gently placed it beside the sleeping woman, Iroka raised a brow at the action.

“Give this to her. She deserves it more than I do.” Nesta smiled at the young boy. “Until we meet again, Kairo.” She turned her back away from the mother and son, her feet gently nudging her towards the people waiting for her.

Iroka grabbed the woman’s hand. Nesta looked over her shoulder, her eyes reflecting those of the boy’s. “Thank you...”

The priestess smiled. It’s been so long since someone believed in her like the boy did.

* * *

 

Iroh closed the door to their apartment.

“You did the right thing, letting the Avatar’s bison free.” Nesta nodded as the old man filled in tidbits of what happened when she was captured. The walk home was tiring and long, the girl noticed the prince dragging his heels lazily towards the shared room.

The priestess still wasn’t in good terms with Zuko but there was something in his body language that didn’t look quite right. “Are you... okay?” Asking him felt weird but the girl noticed the evident change of his demeanor. He was slumping.

“I don’t feel right...” The young man trailed off. As soon as the words flew out of his mouth, his eyes rolled back and the boy’s body gave. Nesta caught him just before his face met the floor. He bumped into a vase, the furniture not spared of breaking.

“Zuko!” Uncle Iroh’s scream resounded through out the room.


	14. Hopes and Dreams

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew Nesta! Image attached below :)

****

 

**HOPES AND DREAMS**

* * *

_“What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life - to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.”_  

* * *

Nesta awoke for the fifth time that night.

Her eyes fluttered awake, palms sweating and mouth shut tight to suppress a scream. Her right hand felt warm, icy blues following the motion of her arm. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the hand of the sleeping figure. It was Zuko. Nesta volunteered to take over while Iroh took his well deserved rest. The priestess played with the idea of stirring the prince’s life energy to at least lessen the burden of the metamorphosis. In doing so, she shared his nightmares that came with the fever. He had saved her life after all, even if the girl was still bitter with what had transpired between them. She was... trying.

Nesta realized that she fell asleep while in the middle of her bending. The girl stood upright, an exhausted sigh escaping her lips. She saw how Uncle Iroh was worried sick over his nephew and her heartstrings were once again pulled. The illness had stretched out to its third day. Nesta can practically feel her back aching from sleeping on the floor while she was on watch.

Zuko let out a loud grunt, his sheets were soaked in sweat and his brows were furrowed. The priestess started to trace fluid motions with her fingers, rocking back and forth as the prince’s aura swayed with her. She payed extra attention to the lump behind his head. The girl straightened it out slowly, Zuko’s face then calming down to a peaceful expression.

“You should rest.” It was Iroh holding up a bucket of water to replace the one beside the girl. Nesta held back a yawn as her hands found it’s way into the prince’s. She’s been feeding him with memories of his mother to counter the dreadful images he saw. It was some sort of fulfillment to the deal they agreed on. He taught her for that very reason after all.

“It’s okay, Mr. Iroh.” The girl rubbed her eyes. Maybe it was her tired mind talking, but Nesta’s mouth uttered her thoughts. She reminded herself of how almost everyone in the royal family turned against the two. “I don’t want you to worry about your nephew, I have it all covered. I know he’s your only family left.” There was a pang of self-pity as the words hit the girl. Good for them, they still had each other.

Iroh noticed the sadness that laced her voice. “Oh, my dear.” He sat beside the girl, palms resting against the hand that held his nephew’s. Nesta’s eyes traveled to the old man’s face. He looked so wise, kind and loving - a true fatherly figure. “I’ve always considered you as my own. It is not flesh and blood but heart that makes us into a family.”

The girl didn’t know how to respond to that. She felt as if she swallowed a bunch of butterflies and it swirled in her stomach simultaneously. Nesta felt tears prickling her eyes. She quickly swiped them away with her sleeves, releasing a gentle laugh in the process. “Thank you... Uncle.” Right then, she knew she was family.

“Go take your rest now.” Iroh’s voice was comforting. He went in and dabbed a hot towel over his nephew’s head. The priestess watched, her hand still holding on to the prince, fingers posed in front of the lying body. “I’ll watch over Zuko.” The old man gently put her hands down. The girl nodded as she stood up, tired body collapsing on the sheets as soon as possible.

The next day, Nesta awoke to the sound of a kettle.

She ran a hand through her hair, tying it up with some extra fabric she cut out of the Dai Li uniform. A yawn escaped the girl’s lips. Her feet dragged lazily towards the kitchen, picking up a stray wooden cup on the table. The priestess heard a few pots clattering near the sink. She wondered about what Iroh was trying to do with those. “Uncle, what are you doing-!”

“I hope I didn’t wake you up.” Zuko beamed at the girl. He was holding a teapot, slices of lemon laid flat on the counter. The prince watched as the girl’s eyes widened. The cup slipped away from her fingers, wood hitting the floor with a loud thud. Nesta frantically pried the ceramic away from the young man. He awkwardly stood beside her, not really knowing what to do.

“You just came from a fever for spirits sake!” Her palm immediately went to his neck. The prince felt warm to the touch, any signs of heating up gone. Zuko furrowed his brow at what the girl was doing. He remembered his mother’s expression as she looked at a sick younger version of him. The boy closed his eyes and leaned in towards the priestess’ touch, her fingers then grazing his temples to check once again. When Nesta realized how intimate the action is, she recoiled away. Golden eyes fluttered open.

The priestess half-expected the prince to scold her. Instead, she was surprised that he shrugged it off so casually. An awkward air surrounded them, both of the teenagers not really knowing what to say to each other. “I’m making tea.” Zuko mused. Being good is one thing, being casual with someone you just called useless? Despicable.

“I see that.” Nesta nodded. Both of them stared at the heating water and the floating lemon pieces. The girl looked around, a certain old man’s presence was missing. She was the first to break the silence. “Where’s... uncle?”

“He left to tend to the new apartment.” Zuko poured the contents of the teapot to the cups. He took one for himself and the other one he handed to Nesta. The girl sniffed at the aroma of the lemon tea and felt her whole body instantly alive with the zest. She grabbed one oat cookie then sat down, the prince following suit. “Uncle personally wanted to ask you to accompany me so we can buy clothes, but you were asleep and he didn’t want to wake you up.”

The priestess silently munched on her food. She noticed how Zuko would play with his fingers, a thing she never really taught the boy did. He always looked so unbothered and sure of his decisions, even if he didn’t really get the jist of what he was deciding about. “Ah. I’m awake now.” Nesta swallowed the lump in her throat. She raked her brain for any kind of conversation starter she could think of. “So, um, how are you feeling?”

“Better, I guess.” The prince scratched his head. The tension in the air was killing him.

“Good to hear.” Nesta replied bluntly. They sat in silence, the argument they had before the girl left weighing them down. She was unapologetic with the things she said, the priestess knew it was the truth. A faint blush adorned her cheeks at the concern she had for the prince when he was sick. Nesta didn’t expect herself to react that way, it was just... she hated it when Iroh was worried and Zuko saved her life. She convinced herself that it was only because of that. “about the shopping, we should leave before lunch time. We’ll take Senj.”

“Alright.” Zuko nodded.

“Okay.” Nesta replied.

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

When the priestess noticed the pattern of awkwardness they were showing, she quickly emptied the contents of her cup and stood up. “I need to take a shower now.” The girl pointed at the room, grabbing her towel in the process.

“Enjoy.” The prince heard the door close. He quickly rammed his head on a nearby furniture, the impact conjuring up a headache. Zuko wondered why he even decided to do that in the first place. “Why am I so bad at this!” He whispered to no one in particular.

 

* * *

 

It was lunch time when the duo reached the upper ring.

Nesta removed her hood as they entered the shop, her once long hair was tied into an elaborate bun with a few framing pieces left loose. The prince noticed how their apparel was dull compared to the clothes they were selling here. Curious eyes went to scan the priestess standing in front of the counter. Her muted green robes caught the attention of a few customers, distasteful looks directed her way. Zuko knew that the girl was unbothered with those people. She didn’t need clothes to tell her she was beautiful, Nesta just knew. The prince saw it in the way she carried herself, chin raised and back straightened. The girl approached the lady in the counter, a small smile adorning her freckled face. “We just moved here and we really need your help.”

The saleslady eyed her with a disapproving look. “We don’t sell to commoners.”

Zuko could have sworn he saw Nesta ball her fist beneath her asymmetrical sleeves. The priestess sighed, hands rummaging through her worn-out leather bag. A loud clunk resounded through out the room. When the prince’s eyes went to scan what could have fallen, the girl beside him exclaimed. “Oh my! Why am I so clumsy!”

The tone was laced with unexplained sarcasm. Nesta went in and picked up the gold head piece she conveniently dropped. It was an ornament passed down by her court to the High Priestess in training. The saleslady’s eyes widened as her mouth hung open. She eyed the head piece, a look of realization crossing her face.

Zuko thought that was the last time the girl showed how passive-aggressive she can get. Nesta wasn’t in the mood to be belittled that day. She brought out a pouch filled to the brim with gold pieces and dumped it at the counter - a true asshole in the making. A few customers mouth watered at the amount of gold the girl had. “We were planning to spend this all in your shop. We actually thought this is the best atelier there is. I guess we have to find another shop that can sell to commoners.”

Nesta begun taking away the gold pieces. She grabbed a handful of the coins and slid it in her bag slowly. The saleslady stammered with her words. “No! No! We actually have the perfect clothes for you and your boyfriend!” Zuko narrowed his eyes at the lady. He was about to interrupt but small hands went to slightly push him away.

The priestess stopped mid-scoop. “Is that so?” The girl asked, eyebrows cocked in question. “My cousin and I would really need all the fashion suggestions we can get.” Her tongue slightly rolled at the word “cousin”, the evident emphasis clear.

The lady flailed her hands. “Oh, your cousin! my bad!” She bowed apologetically at the prince who dismissed the action immediately. The lady then gestured to their fitting area where a bunch of servants waited. “Right this way, ma’am, sir.”

It didn’t take too long for Zuko to find a robe that fitted him. He settled with an earthly green color lined with muted gold trimmings and elaborate patterns. Nesta took her time with hers. The prince sat beside the fitting area, waiting, arms crossed and eyes ready to give way. Curtains were drawn and various women came in to help the priestess. A few were also shooed away just because Nesta didn’t want her dress to be that grand and her hair touched. Not too long, the helper shuffled out of the room. The saleslady let out a long sigh. “After all the fittings we did she chose the ugliest of dresses! This girl is a headache!” She continued her trek to the counter, whispering atrocities to her servants.

A head of raven hair peeked at Zuko. The priestess smiled at the waiting young man, her small freckles crinkling at the action. “How do I look?” Nesta slid out of the curtains. Her dress was simple, a cream inner garment topped off with a dark green robe. There was occasional gold linings here and there and the patterns were only reduced to swirls. It fit nicely on her form and her skin glowed against the colors.

The prince didn’t understand why this was supposedly ‘ _ugly’_. He stood up from his seat and racked his brain for any remarks. “You look...” Their eyes met, icy blues to gold, her face lit up expectantly. Zuko pursed his lips into a small approving smile. “nice.”

Nesta returned the curve of his lips. She approached the man with long strides. “You too.” Her eyes traveled down to his neck. The piece of clothing lay flat against his collarbones. The priestess furrowed her brows as her hands went to tend to the extra fabric. “Wait, let me adjust your collar.”

The prince was caught off. His hands hung among his sides, head tilted back but eyes still focused on the task at hand. He watched as the girl straightened out his collar, a faint red dusted across her cheeks. As soon as the action was done, Zuko stepped back. “Um. Thanks.”

Nesta cocked a neat brow. “That’s uncharacteristic of you to say.” She placed her hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Thanking me, never in my wildest dreams.”

The young man’s eyes softened at the words. He gently took a hold of the girl’s palm that rested on him. “Nesta... I’ve changed.”

“I know. I know. I’m just not used to it, okay?” The girl recoiled back, her hands slipping away from Zuko’s. She didn’t want to be reminded of the concern the girl had when the prince was sick. The feeling felt foreign and weird. “but I do like you better this way.” She went in to ruffle his hair, deciding that the young man was practically harmless now.

Zuko swatted her hand away. _‘Maybe not.’_ Nesta thought. The prince ran a hand through his brown hair, a question hanging on his lips. “You like me?”

The priestess realized too soon that her choice of words was terrible. Another blush arose from her freckled face, the woman playfully punching the prince’s arm to conceal the embarrassment. “Of course I do! We’re cousins, right?”

Zuko yelped at the action. If he was the person he was before, he would have threatened to burn the girl’s hair off. He let out a small laugh, the tune catching the girl off guard. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched. His laugh was... beautiful. Nesta returned the laughter with her own. There was something oddly refreshing seeing the priestess this way. Zuko noted how her eyes would light up in happiness. When both of them finally stopped their giggles, the prince felt his tummy grumble. “Lunch?”

Both of the teenagers had a hard time easing into a conversation. They stopped by a restaurant near the atelier but decided quickly against it when the priestess found out about their specialty. Zuko thought of the poor turtle ducks braised and steamed just to be served to their customers. They settled for some take away dumplings and decided to find a nice spot where they can eat. The young woman saw a small pond near the area.

Zuko didn’t recall how they ended up talking about his family.

“So all of your names have the letter Z on it?” Nesta asked, finishing off the last dumpling she had in her pack. The girl bought some bread to feed the ducklings in the pond. She searched for the green shells but was disappointed to see none.

The prince stopped mid-sip. “Yeah. Zuko, Azula, Ozai, Azulon, Sozin.”

The priestess laughed at their names. They did have the letter z in it. The girl faced the young man, her hands reaching in to crumble the bread she bought. “Do you plan on carrying out the family tradition and name your kids with a z?”

“I’m thinking about it.” Zuko watched as her fingers swirled inside the pack.

Nesta looked around. The flowers were just beginning to bloom in that month. The air was fresh and light, the pond vibrant with the colors of spring. “Consider Izumi.” She watched as a flower bud was carelessly drawn away by the wind. It was truly the girl’s favorite season now, it reminded her of so many things. It reminded her of how she was blossoming into what Zeitu had promised and how she had finally found love. “Spring is such a beautiful season, right?”

Zuko almost laughed at her suggestion. “That’s a cheesy name and who says my first born will be a girl?”

Nesta narrowed her eyes at the prince. “Let me remind you, I see the future.” It was a lie. She only saw the future in unwilling glimpses but the priestess can see the past through holding a person’s hand. Just as a horrid expression crossed the prince’s face, a family of ducks wobbled out of the bushes and settled in the pond. The young woman stood up in excitement. “Turtle ducks!”

Zuko was startled with what the woman did. He tried to pin her down her seat but the priestess immediately ran to where the small ducklings swam. “Wait! Are you serious?! Nesta!” The prince followed suit, kneeling before the creatures as he watched the girl toss in some bread.

Nesta swirled her fingers in the pond. Small turtle ducklings came in to feed on the crumbled bread she gave them. She tried to pet one, the creature leaning in and quacking as it nuzzled itself against the young girl’s hand. Zuko saw a stark resemblance of her mother in the priestess. Maybe it was the way how she was gentle in everything she does. He shook his head at the thought.

One day he was comparing her to Azula and now his mother.

It won’t be too long he’ll see Iroh in her.

Zuko laughed at the thought. He gazed at the young woman beside him, guilt engulfing him all of the sudden. “Nesta.” The prince called out.

“Yeah?” The girl looked up. The ducks protested at the movement, directing all their quacks at Zuko. The priestess threw a large chunk of bread away from them, the creatures following where the food had landed.

Zuko scratched his head. “I’m...” He averted his gaze at Nesta. She had one eyebrow raised in question. The prince looked away as he sighed. ”I’m really sorry for the things I’ve said to you.” The priestess let out a surprised grunt. Zuko thanking her was rare, Zuko saying sorry was even unlikely. Maybe the thing in the tunnel really did a number on him. “I was just mad and confused and you’re not really useless.”

Nesta smiled as she placed her palm on top of the prince’s. He looked up, eyes expecting an angry glare directed at him. The prince was surprised to see the priestess so calm. The girl didn’t regret telling him those things. It was good that he realized his mistake. However, there was one thing. “I’m sorry I called you a prick. Let’s put it in the past, shall we?”

“Can we start over again?” Zuko’s posture straightened.

“Yes, Zuko, we can.” The prince felt like the weight on his shoulders lessened considerably. Nesta smiled at him, the young man returning the curve of the lips. “Just to let you know, I’m so proud of you.”

“Proud of me?” He asked.

“Yeah. Proud. You chose your own path and I’m genuinely happy for you.” She handed his open palm some bread crumbs to feed to the incoming turtle ducks. Zuko met her stare, icy blues to warm gold.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“Thank you.” The prince threw in a few crumbs, shyly looking away as he said those words.

“for what?”

“for appreciating my effort.” Nesta could have sworn she saw red on his cheeks. “and for... the dreams.”

Both of the teenagers watched as the mother turtle duck led her duckling to a nearby bush. The priestess remembered a memory of Zuko’s, the younger version of him being bitten by the creature and his mother comforting him. Nesta felt all the love and care the woman had for her son. The feeling pierced through the memory, touching the young girl’s heart. “Your mother is such a beautiful lady. I can’t blame you for missing her.”

“She is.” Zuko let out another smile, smiling another thing he’s slowly getting used to.

Nesta suddenly remembered her lie. The promise she made when the boy agreed to teach her swords. “Zuko, about the information I know of your mother...”

“Save it.”

“What?”

“If I do find about her whereabouts, I might leave Ba Sing Se.” Zuko stared at where the ducks once had been. Sure, he loved his mother but he had a life now. His uncle was right, living in peace and prosperity wasn’t that bad. He was contented. The prince gazed at the girl, eyebrows furrowed and hands clasped together. “I don’t want to ruin the good things happening for us.”

Zuko’s eyes widened as he felt a gentle weight crashing over him. Arms encased his figure and the smell of jasmines tickled his nostrils. It was soon enough when he realized that Nesta was hugging him. The prince smiled, arms returning the hug.

When both of them broke free, the girl’s eyes were teary. “Let’s go home.” The young man said.

It was the first time Nesta really found one.

 


	15. Words left Unspoken

 

 

****

 

**WORDS LEFT UNSPOKEN**

* * *

  _“Fate brings people together no matter how far apart they may be. Separated as they are, thousands of miles apart, they come together as if by destiny.”_

* * *

 The Jasmine Dragon was alive with noisy chatter and the rich aroma of tea.

It was another tiring day serving people but Nesta still felt her body alive with joy. The source of her happiness stood across her, filing out some teacups while talking to the girl in a hushed tone. Zuko’s mood seemed to have lightened considerably since their visit to the atelier. He would often smile at costumers and utter completely sad attempts of jokes while working. It was a challenge getting used to the happy prince, more so that the priestess felt appreciation for the things he’s doing. They’ve grown closer for the past few days, their conversations pleasant, the time together enjoyable.

“Look! It’s gone again!” Nesta would often tease him about how his burnt eye would disappear when he laughs. The girl let out a giggle as the young man touched the left part of his face. He joked about starting to feel conscious about his scar and how his uncle’s patrons would see it. Nesta assured him that he looked rather dashing with the color red. The priestess then decided to continue rearranging the plants while Zuko figures out how to make his eye look bigger. She went out to water the garden outside.

A figure approached their shop. Nesta narrowed her eyes at the walking man, hands going to her apron to wipe them. Her suspicion arose at the fact that it was closing hour, the flyers the teenagers put up clearly indicated their serving time. She looked into the aura of the person, long tendrils of earth energy swirled and settled inside of him. Her fingers secretly locked his bending capabilities in place. It was hard not to be skeptical, not after the thing that happened to her. Nesta went in to meet the figure halfway. It might be another Dai Li agent.

The man noticed the uniform she was wearing. He bowed, conjuring up a scroll in his hand. “A message from the royal place.”

The priestess muttered her thank you as she took the piece of paper. She sighed at his words - at least it was only a message. The scroll was made out of parchment and the royal seal glimmered against the night. The woman walked back to the shop, eyes scanning the inscription, fingers then releasing the messenger’s aura.

Uncle Iroh was in the kitchen mixing new blends to serve to the customers and the other staff were busy with cleaning up and arranging tables. Zuko, however, followed the movement from a far and momentarily stopped his sweeping. His friendship with the young woman had blossomed into something far greater. It was hard to ignore how her sun-kissed skin bore small discolorations and how her soft eyes held stories of their own. Something in the way she moved made the young man grow accustomed of her presence.

Nesta was about to enter the shop when suddenly she halted to a stop. Her arms went lump against her sides. The prince let out a surprised grunt as he saw the expression on the priestess face changed into one of shock. He went to check her out, feet nimbly descending into the flight of stairs. “Nesta! Are you okay?” He grabbed her shoulders and made her face him.

The priestess shook off her shock. Her eyes gazed at a concerned young man, a small smile etched on her lips. She handed him the scroll. “Read this, Zuko.” Nesta urged.

She watched as Zuko’s eyes jumped from word to word, his face morphing into disbelief. He stared at the girl, his own reaction stuck in his throat. The prince swallowed the lump as he muttered. “The earth king invites us to serve him tea?” It was too good to be true.

The priestess nodded.

Zuko beamed at the action. “That’s amazing!” He leaned in and wrapped his arms around the girl, happiness overwhelming him at the thought of his uncle’s hard work paying off. Nesta laughed as she returned the hug. The girl gave him a few pats on the back, the warmth he radiated was comforting to touch.

Iroh saw the two from a far. He almost melted at the sight, his nephew and niece sharing a heartfelt hug in the dark. The old man could have sworn that they had daggers against each other but Zuko was a changed man, the priestess embracing the change gladly. Iroh smiled as he called for them. “Zuko! Nesta! It’s getting late! Come in!”

The young man was the first to break off. He excitedly ran towards the shop, hand waving the scroll. The priestess watched as Zuko handed the paper to his uncle. She began her walk back, red staining her cheeks and skin still hot from the hug. The girl immediately missed the feeling of his arms around her. “Uncle, I have a message from the royal palace!” The prince said.

Iroh furrowed his brows as he opened the scroll.

The teenagers watched in careful anticipation as the old man read the text. His eyes suddenly lit up as he averted his attention to the two. “I can’t... I can’t believe it! I have to prepare some blends, quickly!” Iroh smiled as he turned his heel and practically raced to the kitchen. Both of them laughed at the show.

Nesta cupped her pockets. She remembered making some memory bracelets not too long ago. She had the intention of giving it to Zuko, just a celebratory gift for their newfound friendship and nothing more than that. Her fondness of him was starting to grow on Nesta. She faced the young man, hands expertly folded to conceal the gift. “Can I talk to you?” The girl gestured to an isolated part out of the shop. It had a beautiful fountain and a streetlight just beside it.

Zuko’s heart hammered in his chest. He swore he didn’t do anything wrong. “Um, sure.” They walked to where a bench was located. Nesta was the first to sit down, a shy smile adorning her face as the boy sat beside her.

“What’s on your mind?” The prince asked, leaning against the back rest. She stared at the young woman whose palms rested on her legs.

Nesta presented the bracelet she had. “I made you this.” It was made out of scrap pieces of leather and her silver hair woven into a braid. She gave Iroka something similar to this, save for the fact that it was only wrapped around a handkerchief. Each strand of High Priestess’ hair held memories tailored to the person she’s about to give it to. The girl never recalled a childhood occurrence of cutting her hair. Picking out some silver strands was harder and more painful than she thought but Nesta was glad that she had done it.

“A bracelet?” Zuko asked, hands gratefully grabbing the material. He noticed some silver pieces placed here and there. “Is this your hair?” The young man asked, bewildered at the thought of the priestess plucking out discolored strands.

Nesta blushed in embarrassment. It must have been weird for the prince to receive such gift. The girl tucked a bundle of hair away from her face, her mind suddenly conscious of how she was acting. The priestess followed up with an explanation. “My hair has special properties in it. Try and touch it.”

Zuko was hesitant at first but the anticipating look on Nesta’s face was impossible to ignore. He stroke the fibers, his mind suddenly going blank. It replayed some of the happier memories that he had with Nesta. It showed him their hugs, their shared jokes, the casual staring at each other from afar. He tried to dismiss the look in her eyes as gratefulness and not admiration. He had so many faults that the prince still could not acknowledge. “Wow, that was an experience.” The young man was out of breath when he released his hold.

He quickly slid it on, marveling at how the silver strands shimmered in the dark. “Can other people see our memories?”

The priestess smiled. “Yeah, so you need to keep it a secret.” She averted her attention to the fountain, a warm blush arising on her face. The priestess’ hands went in to touch her cheek. Why was she acting like this all of the sudden? It’s just Zuko she’s talking to. “It’s my first time actually putting a little effort on the things I’m giving out.”

Zuko touched the girl’s shoulder. Nesta whipped her head to look at him. “Thank you.” His face sported a handsome smile, eyes soft and cheeks red. Nesta’s breath hitched at the sight of the young man. His face mirrored the stern structure of his father but was soften considerably by his mother’s lips and warm golden eyes. Even his scar didn’t feel quite menacing anymore. With the moon illuminating his features, he was somehow beautiful. The girl placed a hand to her heart to stop it from beating so rapidly. “I guess you have more talents than I assumed you had.”

Nesta looked away, her body was still posed to face Zuko. There was some sort of nostalgia hitting her at the words. She was reminded of the things he had said to her. How perfect she seemed to be. “I know you think we’re some perfect beings made to roam the earth. We’re actually far from that. I’m just as-“

“flawed as I am?” The priestess quickly turned her head to face the young man. She momentarily recoiled when she realized he was inches away from her face. Zuko smiled as he touched the area where her tattoo was imprinted. He remembered clearly how she hated it. Nesta’s eyes softened as he watched the young man gaze at her tattoo with the same hurt she had. The priestess had never encountered someone like him - someone so much like her but entirely different.

“I understand you now.” Since her rescue, Zuko had seen the priestess much more clearly than he ever did. He shied away from her at first but her welcoming personality made her easier to deal with. Nesta’s heart skipped a beat as Zuko’s golden eyes peeked at her, an apologetic smile playing on his lips. For a moment, her lungs refused to breath and all her words went dry in her mouth. She focused on that intimate look in his eyes, a similar burden they seem to share. Her hand slowly found its way into the young man’s face.

The weird urge to kiss the prince dawn upon the priestess.

No, she’s not supposed to do that.

“Took you long enough.” It was something similar to what he said in their fight. These past few days felt like a passing dream. Nesta felt like she actually belonged. She had grown reliant to the presence of the prince, it was comforting in a way that she knew someone was there for her.

The lady returned the smile, hands reaching in to touch his scar. Zuko closed his eyes and anticipated the feeling of being touched. He waited for her fingers to hover over his face, leaning in so that the young lady can see his features clearly. What welcomed him was something he rather would have forgotten.

 

* * *

Zuko stared longingly at the ocean.

His scar was still fresh from the burn, left eye struggling to adjust from the damaged vision. The prince narrowed his eyes at the journey ahead. It was long and winding, his uncle had personally presented himself as a guide. Even if he had a war general by his side, capturing the Avatar seemed highly unlikely. Zuko still hoped he can do it. It was the only way.

The prince heard footsteps approaching.

He turned his heel to face the owner. The young man didn’t feel like having visitors since the incident happened. He was about to scream at the figure when he realized that it was a familiar girl. “You’re leaving me.” It was Mai.

The prince looked away. These past few seasons they’ve grown exceptionally close. He was embarrassed about the fate he succumbed to, Azula sending a personal invitation to the girl to which she denied spectating. His love for Mai felt like stronger than it had ever been, but hatred now clouded his mind. “I need to capture the Avatar, it’s the only way I can restore my honor.” The whisper was lost in the breeze, as if the wind commanded itself to take away his words.

The girl continued her walk towards the prince. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “If you say so.” Mai pulled him into a kiss. It was the first time Zuko had ever got to do it with her. He returned it with the same vigor but immediately realized the weight of his journey. The boy broke free.

No amount of love can heal his broken honor, anyway.

 

* * *

 Nesta’s heart sank at the sight, her mind immediately pulling up her mental walls. She felt some sort of jealously hitting her at the thought of Zuko getting close with another girl. She tried to shake off her feelings. Who was the priestess to feel like she was the only one entitled to like him? It was stupid. The girl inched back, hands immediately tucking away. “I’m sorry. It was an accident.” She hid her face from him, not because of the memory, but because of the shameful thoughts she had. Nesta was not supposed to feel this way, the connection the prince had with Mai proved the point even further.

Zuko furrowed his brows at the memory. His hands went to his temples. “No, It’s fine.” His eyes met the girl’s, a horrified expression crossing her face. He smiled weakly at her. The scene brought up scars he thought were already healed. Mai didn’t deserve to be treated that way, but if she did really love him, why didn’t she send a hawk his way? “It’s just Mai.” He assured her like it was nothing to worry of.

Nesta’s mouth opened earlier than she anticipated. “Is she your girlfriend?” The girl’s eyes widened as her hands went to her mouth. Why did she act like this on impulse? The feeling felt foreign to her, her heart heavy with want she could only think of as longing. The priestess reminded herself once again that Zuko was her friend and anything in between them was forbidden. She was a fool to get caught in the moment.

Zuko nodded, a sudden guilt settling in his chest at the evident hurt he heard in her voice. The prince sighed as his hands wiped his face. “While you were sick with a fever, I went on a date with a girl.”

Nesta tried to acknowledge her feelings, only to get shut out with the reality of the person she was drawn to and her fear of losing the only family she had. She ignored the hopeful teenager inside her and decided to listen through. There was a moment of silence after he said that. “and..?” The girl urged on.

“I kissed her.” The priestess felt like a knife had just went through her. It was not because Zuko had an abundance of truths she kept from the young woman, but because of the thought of him with another girl other than her girlfriend. Sure, Nesta admitted that she has feelings for him, but the girl simply cannot tolerate the undoing he had done. She frowned at the words, hiding her disappointment under a layer of surprise.

“Zuko, there’s a girl waiting for you.” Nesta reprimanded. She thought about Mai. The young lady loved Zuko, she felt it oozing in the appearance of the hazy scene. Even if the priestess wished there was nothing in between the prince, Mai was still his girlfriend. It was the only rational thing the priestess was holding on to - the light to the raging madness of her infatuation towards the other.

“It’s been three years, Nesta.” Zuko explained, his temper showing. The prince sighed as he tried to calm himself down. He watched as Nesta scooted away, the heat radiating from him unbearable. He didn’t intend for her to find out about Mai but he was also confused if he really had feelings for the stoic teen. “I haven’t seen or heard from her ever since.”

The priestess nodded understandingly. “Maybe she had other reasons.” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Zuko’s eyes met her icy blues, her face sporting an understanding expression. Maybe that was it, the young man was still caught up with what was happening in his life. Distance served as a contributory factor to their falling out, chasing the Avatar was another. “You being exiled, of course she won’t know where you are going.”

“I guess so.” The prince tried to accept the reason. Coming from Nesta, it didn’t sound so bad but it felt like it was the worse thing she had ever muttered. It sounded too forced.

“Does it hurt that badly?” The priestess asked, curious, a conversation to leer him into the topic of how deeply he loved Mai. “falling in love?” When Nesta saw the expression on the prince’s face, she realized how she denied herself of the feeling. Not that you can fall in love with a person in just a week, Zuko was Zuko. He was appealing in some sort of way and she loved being with him now that he was somehow tamed. Maybe this was just a phase, her heart confused because he was the first boy her age to show an ounce of concern for her. The priestess realized long ago that she didn’t want to ruin their friendship, but the girl had always wished that the prince might have found her somehow special. It was her teenager heart dreaming.

“Falling in love is beautiful, falling out of it is the worst.” Zuko smiled as the girl nodded. He found her ignorance surprising, being a head turner with the beauty of their court and the kindness that seemed to flow into her being. Nesta was someone so easy to fall in love with, a stark contrast to the girl he left at home. The prince never denied how beautiful the priestess was, but he knew he already belonged to someone else. He always tried to convince himself that Mai deserves better than how he’s treating her. Nesta fortifying the point that Zuko had to make it up to his girlfriend for all the feelings he found himself catching while he was away from her. He felt like absolute crap when he realized that he almost grew a liking to the priestess. “You’ll never understand what it’s like to get your heartbroken if you haven’t been in love.”

“I can agree to that.” Nesta sighed, all her frustration bottled up in the back of her throat. “The closest thing I ever had to a boyfriend is you and you’re already a handful.” They both laughed at that, a melancholic sound conjuring from their lips.

“A boyfriend, huh?” Zuko teased, surprised that she saw him that way. “I’m starting to think you actually like me.” It was half a joke and a genuine question.

Nesta’s cheeks warmed considerably at his words. There she was again, dropping hints about her growing fascination. “Oh, shut up!” The priestess punched his shoulder, a habit she had fell upon when the young man acknowledged her supposedly nonexistent feelings. “I mean relationship-wise, friends and all the sort.”

“You seem to strike me more as a friend, too.” There was a quick sting at the words for both parties. Zuko saw her eyes widen, but it was gone as quickly as it showed. “considering that I don’t have a lot of them.” Nesta smiled. ‘You have me.’ She dared to say but it felt wrong. It made her feel like there was something happening between them when there’s actually none. She didn’t want to get her hopes up again.

“Can you promise me something, Zuko?”

“Hm?”

“When things get tough, we’ll always stay by each other’s sides.” She looked at him, her heart shutting off any romantic feelings growing inside of her. The priestess needed to see him for what he really is in Ba Sing Se - her cousin. “We’ll always stay as family.”

Zuko smiled. “I promise.”

“Thank you so much.” Nesta convinced herself that they were better off this way. She returned the smile, her heart blocking off anything that made her feel like she was special to him. “This means the world to me.”

With the promise weighing her down and a rocky friendship the only thing to connect them, Nesta kind of wished she actually kissed him. Maybe she wouldn’t feel this empty if the girl relinquished in the memory of his lips on hers.

She’d rather have her heartbroken than her feelings suppressed in her already suffocating mental walls.

 


	16. Calm before the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so long I had to cut it into two parts D: 
> 
> Thank you so much for all the love for this fanfic! Thank you to those who commented, left a kudos, bookmarked and read this! We’re almost at 400 hits! Yay!

**CALM BEFORE THE STORM**

* * *

The waiting area was an understatement compared to the grandeur of the palace.

Nesta expected something more refined like intricate linings or patterned walls. She dreamt of a seat near a beautiful window overseeing Ba Sing Se and a long table filled to the brim with exquisite pastries of the Earth Kingdom. When they entered the king’s supposed tea room, it was just an empty space save for the table and the makeshift throne in the middle. The priestess raised a brow at the setting. There was something wrong with the atmosphere of the room, she can almost taste it.

Zuko and Iroh were busy setting up the needed materials. The old man decided that the girl will be relieved from any responsibilities while they were with the Earth king. She mentally prepared a speech in her head, ignoring the feeling of danger in her gut. Maybe it was just the nerves or maybe it’s because she had grown to have separation anxiety.

Nesta sat down, her lips uttering inaudible nothings and her palms slick with sweat. She ensured that her mental walls were intact, her mind entering into a state of concentration. The prince noticed her nervous mannerisms. He sat beside him, his hands gently finding its way on her shoulder. “Why are you so nervous?”

The priestess was startled by the action. Her hands went to her heart, a dazed look crossing her face. Iroh almost laughed at the girl’s state. “We talked yesterday.” The old man said, pouring a container of hot tea into the tea pot. “I told her that she can ask the Earth king to help her rebuild her court. We’re not sure if we can get the same opportunity twice.”

The girl nodded at what the man said. Zuko looked at her, one brow raised and a questioning look on his face. He wondered why she was so worried about telling the Earth king about her court. Wasn’t she supposed to be excited? “but if that goes as planned, I’m afraid I need to go my separate way.” Nesta gulped, she wiped her hands on her robe, a wet patch now forming around the place she held. The girl grunted at her mistake. Her eyes then averted its attention to Iroh. “I’m not really ready to leave you guys behind.”

The weight of her words caught the man off guard. He took a moment to recover from his shock, Iroh’s throat clearing itself up. “You won’t be leaving us. We’re still family even if we are apart.”

The priestess smiled at the old man. It really felt comforting to know that there are people who’ll always make you feel that you’re not alone. The girl then felt a pressure on her shoulder. Turning around, Nesta saw Zuko’s tight smile. “I’m happy for you, Nesta.” He thought about hugging her, his arm ready to wrap itself around the priestess but his consciousness felt like it was weird to do so, definitely not after last night.

The prince pulled away from his leaning position. He gave the girl a pat in lieu of the hug, earning a weird stare from Nesta who anticipated the action. Zuko looked around and ignored the awkwardness that came after that. “What’s taking so long?” He remarked. The young man just wanted this tension between the girl beside him to end.

“Maybe the earth king overslept?” Iroh said while pouring a cup of tea for himself.

Nesta wasn’t that convinced. She concentrated on her seeing eye, the aura’s bleeding into reality and the colors once again alive in her mind. The girl scanned the outer walls of the room. She saw muffled green auras lined up and a vibrant electric blue walking behind them. “Wait... Something’s wrong.” The priestess remarked as Dai Li begun shuffling their way into the room. They surrounded the three, pose ready for any kind of danger.

Just when Nesta was about to stand up, the electric blue aura entered the room. The girl tasted the static in the air and her mind felt suffocated from the superiority radiating from the lady who stood in front of them. “It’s tea time.” She said.

“Azula.” The trio stood up from their position. Nesta’s hands immediately went to hide in her asymmetrical sleeves. The girl straightened her back just to feel for the satchel turned into a fashionable piece. She tried to suppress the abilities of the Dai Li but there were just too many to hold. The priestess let go of the auras, her mind focusing on the impending danger ahead - Zuko’s sister.

“Have you met the Dai Lee?” Azula asked, assuming a position on the throne. The lady went on about how the Dai Li were earth benders but possessed the instincts of fire benders. Nesta blocked off the speech and eyed a possible exit door way. The way they entered was too narrow for the three. As the priestess was searching, the brooding voice from Zuko’s sister called her out. “I see you brought with you a lady friend. My, my, you’re full of surprises, brother.”

She took a step forward, a manicured nail then pointing at Nesta. “High Priestess, isn’t it? I heard you had knowledge about our father’s demise. Care to share some tips to capture the Avatar?” Azula laughed as she watched Zuko’s expression turn into one of confusion. The priestess gulped. That was one information she left out when they were in the shop.

While his uncle dealt with his talking sister, the prince subtly addressed the priestess with gritted teeth. “You never told me about that.”

“Zuko, please. Not now.” Nesta’s eyes were still focused on the younger lady. She prepared her hands to bend the fire that Iroh was about to conjure up, her fingers slowly collecting fibers from the prince’s uncontrollable heating. Zuko noticed the action and dismissed their talk. She better have a good explanation for this.

Iroh sipped the tea he poured earlier. He then spat fire with his mouth, circling the enemies as the teenagers went back to back with each other. Nesta’s hands went to collect the stray tendrils of the movement to extend the flame her uncle breathed out. A few Dai Li stepped back, their stone hands ready to throw rocks at the three. Zuko fired up at the direction of the exit, running towards it while the two followed suit.

They stepped into a long hallway. The priestess took a quick glance at their back, Dai Li agents lined up to spike rocks at the running figures. The girl grabbed all the energy she can get, her fingers dancing into a rushed rhythm and heels resounding as they went. As the trio turned the corner, Nesta stopped as her feet were posed to build a wall between the attackers. The prince saw how idiotic her plan was so he pulled the girl to safety.

“What are you doing!” The priestess screamed, her feet momentarily adjusting to the pace of the prince. She recollected the fibers she almost left loose and tried to ease into their run.

“They’re earth benders! You’re just going to waste your time and energy on that wall!” Zuko watched as his uncle unleashed his power on a wall. It exploded, blue lightning and fire gracing the foundation as the old man jumped consequently. He landed on a trimmed bushed, completely annihilating the object. Nesta saw the distance they had to cover. She broke off the prince’s hold and bended the earth below her in the form of a rock pillar. The girl hopped on it, her hands outstretched to support the prince.

“Zuko, we have to go!” Nesta said, the tendrils of energy she was controlling slowly disintegrated into air. It won’t be too long until the pillar will collapse.

Zuko stared at her hand. “No, I’m tired of running.” He was reminded of what his uncle said to the priestess. He’s not sure if he can get the same opportunity twice. “It’s time I face Azula.”

Nesta’s eyes widened at what the young man said. She tried to grab the prince’s retreating figure but the energy she had already ran out. The earth fell unto the ground, bringing with it the young girl who desperately grabbed the air for any kind of momentum. Nesta screamed as she felt her body lose control of itself. She took a second to shut her eyes tight and a moment to prepare herself for the impact.

The priestess was surprised to hurt less than what she anticipated. She heard a quick grunt and felt a lean body against her back. The girl must have landed on someone. The lady thought about Iroh but the old man was too big to barely buff the impact. Nesta opened her eyes and saw her Uncle in a defensive position, the same shock mirrored his eyes.

The girl’s hands went to her sides as she stood up. A man dressed in Dai Li clothing lay flat on the ground. His eyes were struggling to keep open and his knee was bent in an unnatural angle. Nesta swallowed down her panic and took a minute to figure out something. She held the dislocated knee and popped it back in place while pushing him down against earth. The man screamed, his ragged breath slurring the sound. Nesta muttered an apology at the Dai Li.

Iroh cringed at the sight. He never knew that the girl was capable of those things. Well, the priestess was an expert with accidental injuries and violence was indeed her weak point. In one way or another, she helped the Dai Li with his dislocation, however, painful. “Where are you keeping the Avatar?” The old man asked as he stepped forward.

Nesta caught on. She threatened to jab her hand on his shoulder, guilt gnawing at her at the things she’s done to the man. She stared at the man, a sudden unexplainable fury washing over her being at the thought of the prisoners in their underground base. “H-He’s in the upper class of the king’s landing. The house is under construction.” The Dai Li’s eyes were filled with fear as he watched the finger jab a pressure point that rendered him unconscious.

“Nesta.” Iroh called out. “The violence is quite surprising.”

The girl felt ashamed of what she displayed, considering that she was supposed to be a woman of peace. “It’s passive violence.” Nesta reasoned out. “It’s supposed to block off the pain of his knee while he’s asleep.” She gestured at the part where she just popped back.

The old man nodded. He knew that the girl would at least use pain to some helpful extent. “We need to find the Avatar, then.”

* * *

They reached the building as quickly as they started looking for it.

Nesta examined the part where there was some temporary cover going on. What atrocity happened with the Avatar and why did it look like the part was blasted off? She then averted her attention to Iroh who dusted off the remainder of earth on his robes. “Nesta, you stay here, I’ll go meet with the Avatar.”

“What am I supposed to do?” The priestess asked, her eyebrows furrowed in question.

Just as Iroh was about to enter, a Dai Li stalked dangerously close to the house. He took the man by surprise and tackled him down. The girl watched as the old man struggled with tying the man’s hands and feet. Iroh was strong for his age and agile for an old man, she believed that he didn’t need any help in doing so. He positioned the Dai Li on the porch. “Ask him some information, I’ll be quick.”

Nesta sighed at what Iroh said. She waited for the door to close before she can ask some questions to the captive. Iroh lingered on the entrance. There was a childish voice explaining some kind of relationship to her uncle. The priestess didn’t bother to find out and just focused on the task ahead.

“Care to explain what’s happening?” Nesta stifled his bending while she untied the cloth that was wrapped around his mouth. They stared at each other for a solid minute, the young woman somehow getting annoyed at his silent persistence. She tried to be as calm as possible to avoid unnecessary noise. “Where are you hiding the prince.” It was more of a demand.

The Dai Li just narrowed his eyes at the young girl. He stretched his fingers, a subtle attempt of trying to bend his way out of the mess. Nesta saw his eyes twitch as he realized he was unable to move stone. “I took away your bending, don’t even try.” She sat down in front of him. “If you don’t answer me, I’ll take it away permanently.” A lie. She didn’t have enough power to take away bending. The priestess wasn’t that of a master of abilities.

One thing she remembered to do is acquire knowledge. She let out another frustrated sigh as the man still refused to speak to her. The girl stood up and placed her hand against his head and heart. “I hate to mess with your privacy, but you leave me with no other choice.” She forced herself into his aura, clawing at all the blocks she can get through. The priestess stripped off his memories one by one. She ran through tidbits of conversations until she finally found what she was looking for.

They were hiding them in a buried city.

Just as she was about to seal the man’s mental barriers, the door creaked open. Nesta immediately jabbed her fingers on the pressure point near the lump on his throat. She turned around, hands immediately placing itself on top of one another. It was a sign of respect to most parts of Ba Sing Se. “I brought someone along who might be able to help us.” It was Iroh who said those words, behind him trailed the Avatar and his two familiar friends.

“It’s the ghost girl!” The water tribe boy exclaimed, an accusing finger pointed at the girl.

The old man raised a brow at the reaction. “ghost girl?” He averted his attention to his niece, the girl shrugging off the incident as her hands remained positioned to give respect. “You know each other?” He asked.

“We met her at the street while looking for Appa.” The water tribe boy said. He examined the man lying in the porch, his eyes then focusing on the girl. “Um, what is an unconscious Dai Li doing on our porch.” From a peripheral vision, the priestess could have sworn she saw her uncle face palm. Well, that was a nice first impression.

Nesta hastily bowed at the bold kid. “Avatar...” She then bowed at those she met before. “and friends.” The priestess stood straight, her eyes trailing the old man’s reaction. Iroh had his face crinkled in what the girl could call as embarrassment. He gestured fo her to apologize for the event, hands pointing at the man and then mouthing the words sorry. “Forgive me, I had to knock him out because he was Dai Li.”  
  
A crisp slap resounded through out the place. The group turned to look at the origin of the sound. Toph almost laughed at the red mark that was forming on Iroh’s forehead. He face palmed too hard. The old man kept a straight while trying to keep up with the impression that Nesta was to be trusted. “What did you learn, child.”

The priestess knelt before the unconscious man. She placed her finger on his forehead and gently pried at his mental walls once again. “Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup, they plan to overthrow the earth king.” She slid her fingers to the right, brows furrowing at the conversation the Dai Li once had with Azula. “They kept your friend and Zuko in the crystal catacombs, deep underneath the palace.” Nesta’s eye fluttered awake. She was surprised to see the Avatar staring back at her with a straight face.

Blue boy was the first to break the silence. “Wait, how are we supposed to trust the information she’s giving out.” He took a step towards the girl, examining the green robes that she wore and her somehow awkward stature. “I mean, we’re not sure if this is another Zuko remake.”

“Do I need to knock out another Dai Li to prove my words?” Nesta didn’t mean to intimidate, she was just trying to tell them she knew the truth. The priestess went on an offensive position to try and show them she was serious. The blind one immediately shifted her feet at the movement, ready to stop the girl from doing any harm.

Bold boy placed his hands on the kid’s shoulders. “No, no. That’s not needed.” He nodded at Nesta, his blue arrow a stark contrast against his skin. “I trust you with that. We have to find them.”

When they reached the palace, Nesta’s felt out of breath and amazed. It was her first time riding a flying bison. She never expected that the skies was this liberating, it was much more pleasant than how it was described on a book. Iroh continuously apologized for her silent tactics of reaching out and touching the clouds, an evident danger to herself.

After the blind girl, which the priestess found out was actually named Toph, disrupted the earth and revealed that there was indeed an ancient city down the palace, Sokka’s suspicion faded. He ordered Iroh and Nesta to join Aang while the they go warn the Earth king. The Avatar then pushed at the land and formed a tunnel for them to walk through.

Iroh provided some light with his bending. Both of the men were head deep in a conversation, ‘What if I’m not powerful enough?” the boy asked when Nesta noticed how beautiful the aura of the Avatar is. It was adorned with swirls of blue, red, green and oranges that were overwhelming to her senses. She tried to touch one strand of his energy, a sudden curiosity washing over her. Nesta secretly tried to clench the young boy’s aura. She gripped the strands, only to find herself thrown aback by the power that bounced off of it. The priestess stumbled, both of the men’s attention then switching at her.

“I’m sorry.” Nesta dusted off the dirt on her robes. “Stumbled on a rock.” A lie.

They were talking about energies before the girl decided to make a fool of herself. Iroh then shifted the conversation directed at her energy bending student.“My niece here has a special gift, I think she’d make for a perfect energy master. She sees auras.”

“You see auras?” Aang raised a brow. He heaved at the rock, going deeper as they went. “That’s so cool!”

The priestess shyly stared at the back of his head. “I do. I can control them just like bending.” Nesta said. “but I can’t control the elements.”

“So, what do you do with the auras?”

“I can hold life energy, spirits, acquire knowledge, any of the sort. Inner peace, what not.” The priestess counted her fingers so she won’t get too lost in her abilities. She shrugged it off. Aside from that, she really wanted to say that she was just beginning to master those things and her knowledge wasn’t that extensive. Suddenly, the weight of her small satchel turned backpack felt heavier. “Actually, the spirit in you is my ancestor.”

“My spirit?” The boy asked, his interest easing into the conversation.

“Raava the spirit of light and peace, mother of Zeitu the spirit of time.“ The priestess said those things casually, as if it was basic knowledge. She knew that the ancient books were exclusive only to their court and all the people who lived outside of it knew nothing about the spirits that created the world. It wasn’t that surprising if the Avatar also didn’t know about the life inside of his soul.

“Who’s that?” Aang momentarily paused, racking his brain for any past knowledge he learned from the monks about being an Avatar. The girl at the back seemed to be really knowledgable about things from the past. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was also actually a hundred years old.

Nesta continued on as she stared at the fire that Iroh emitted from his hand. “Raava sealed her essence in you so that peace and balance may prevail among our kind. That’s why it’s so important to not get killed while you’re in that state.” She recalled the things she read from the book. “It was our duty to teach the Avatar how to stir the energy within himself and suppress the destruction it brought, but as time passed and the word of tongue turned stale, the tradition died with it. If you’re in the Avatar state, it is Raava controlling your body and it is Raava who is in danger.” Aang glanced back. He realized now why she knew so much things in the past. The young boy thought it was only rumors that surrounded the mystery of the death of a certain traveling court.

She was the High Priestess of the Foreseers.

She knew her knowledge was a little too much, that’s why they’re after her.

Nesta met his wandering eye, a warning look on her face. “Once your heart stops beating in that state, our hope dies with you and there is no power in this mortal world that can bring you back to life.” Aang gulped at her words. The priestess knew that there were places in the realm where they can reach the spirit world. The northern water tribe had their pond of miraculous spirit water that can bring you back to life if you’ve been dead for only minutes. Nesta shook off the thought. The spring was too far north anyway.

“Well,” Iroh cleared his throat. He noticed the tension between the two. Aang’s shoulders were squared and a troubled looked crossed his face. Sometimes, his niece was a little too dramatic for his liking. “To answer your question about the Avatar state, I don’t really know the answer. Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel; you can’t see the light at the end of this tunnel but if you just keep moving...” The Avatar slowly relaxed as he heaved again at the rock, the stones slowly revealing a beautiful catacomb with crystals adorning it. “you’ll come back to a better place.”

Nesta was the first to jump out of the tunnel, running towards what she thought of the entrance to the cell. The Avatar followed suit, a little too intimidated with her presence. Aang pushed at the diamonds that separated a small place. He felt for the ground, two figures stood in it. He was sure that it was Katara and the angry jerk. The wall exploded into pieces, the young boy zooming past the formations.

“Aang!” Nesta heard a girl scream. She saw a beautiful water tribe lady that somehow resembled Sokka. Maybe it was his sister? The priestess turned to look at the side and saw golden eyes wide in a surprised expression. She ran towards Zuko and wrapped her arms around the prince. Uncle Iroh followed but immediately broke free of the hold.

The young man pried the girl’s arms away from him. Nesta was confused at first but as she met his eyes, she knew now why he was upset. She lied to him. The priestess inched back, her heart sinking at the thought.

“Uncle, I don’t understand, what are you doing with the Avatar?” The prince asked, pointing at the Avatar. They seem to have caught them in a heart to heart talk with the water tribe girl, it was evident on how her sad eyes gazed at the young man.

“Saving you, that’s what.” Zuko groaned as the boy retorted.

He took a step forward aggressively but Iroh managed to calm him down. “Zuko, it’s time we talked.” The old man then addressed the Avatar. “Go help your other friends, we’ll catch up with you.”

Nesta watched as the young man questioned his uncle. Iroh told him some important points about who he was and what he had become. He saw the good that the prince possessed, the once furious boy toned down into an understanding one. Nesta felt her uncle’s words flowing with wisdom. He was asking Zuko to make a choice. The priestess eyes softened as she watched the young man’s face contort into a look of confusion. She knew that old habits die hard and he still didn’t know what he’ll do with the Avatar. The girl wished Zuko would see the good in the situation. She stepped forward, his name on the tip of her tongue. “Zuko-“

There was a sudden loud explosion and before Nesta knew it, she was trapped in diamonds along with Iroh. Dai Li came bending down the catacombs, a familiar face in the middle of them. She grinned at the sight, her smile devious as her intentions were.

Azula’s eyes were gold like her brother’s, but there was something in them that made priestess cower in fear.

 

 


	17. Crossroads of Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of the 10th year anniversary of the last ATLA episode, here’s Part 2!
> 
> Thank you so much guys!

**CROSSROADS OF DESTINY**

* * *

_”It is in the moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.“_

* * *

 

Azula’s stare was almost mocking.

Her golden eyes pierced through the setting, unlike Zuko’s, hers was much more stern and evil - a trait Nesta often saw in her visions of the Fire Lord. “I need you Zuko, I’ve plotted every move of this day; this glorious day of Fire Nation history and the only way we’d win is together. At the end of this day, you’ll have your honor back, you’ll have father’s love, you will have everything you want.” There was one thing that the priestess knew about the young lady; she truly was dramatic like the girl imagined her to be.

Nesta built the courage to disprove what Azula said. She cleared her throat and swallowed down the fear lingering in her. “Zuko, your father’s love and honor is nothing when it is earned in vain.” She was reminded of how the boy desperately wanted to get those back. Zuko changed, but the priestess hoped that the change was enough to guarantee his standing.

Iroh joined in, his words softly addressing the boy. “I’m begging you. Look into your heart and see what is you truly want.”

The princess glared at the man. “You are free to choose.” She gestured at the Dai Li, both of the men retreating back to their entrance. Azula then walked towards the exit way where the Avatar and his water tribe friend went through.

Nesta’s eyes never left the brooding young man. “Prince.” She called out, trying to convince herself that her lie didn’t affect the decision he was about to make. “You’re already one step closer to being good. Take this chance.” The priestess tried to rotate her wrist, parts of the diamonds slowly breaking at the movement.

Zuko’s hand was warm to touch but it didn’t feel like it was meant to help the girl’s struggle. Her eyes met his, icy blue to gold, a terrifying conclusion stated in the way his face crinkled. “You lied to me.” The prince said, gripping Nesta’s free palm.

She momentarily recoiled in pain at how he pulled her closer to him. The young man released his hold, standing up as the girl whimpered. “Zuko, I-I...” Nesta looked at their uncle, he had his eyes closed as if he anticipated the worst. “I did it for your sake.”

Zuko’s mind was set. He glared at her, all the moments they’ve spent together crashing down, revealing what the boy truly thought of the young girl. “How can I look at you knowing that you know the reason of my father’s death and you kept it all along. For a time I believed that you were actually good.” He stalked the exit way where his sister once had been. Iroh’s eyes followed his nephew, a disappointing frown on his face. “When in reality you’re really a lying, scheming, useless temple girl who acted weak for your advantage. You wished to end my father and you were luring me to side with you.”

Nesta was about to retort, tears prickled her eyes and her walls slowly coming undone. She heaved forward, some of the rocks moved but it was still a futile attempt against the firmness of it. Zuko took one last glance at the miserable sight, he refused to meet his uncle’s eyes but the prince saw only lies in the icy blues that he came to know. “You were a distraction. I regret trusting you.”

“Zuko!” Nesta screamed as he stepped into the darkness of the tunnel. “No, Zuko! Please come back!” She stretched her whole arm, the diamonds pressing further into her skin to the point that it was beginning to hurt. The priestess sobbed miserably, her feet wriggled and moved beneath her as her hands were trying to hack free of the crystal. “Zuko, Please!” Tears cascaded down her cheek like a waterfall. Her cries resounded through out the empty space as the girl slump unto the diamonds that encased her. She could only think of her family - her family that was slowly tearing itself apart, the fading figure giving the thoughts a grim finality.

Iroh let out the sigh he’d been dying to release. He tried to crane his neck to the direction of the young girl, her whimpers gnawing at his heart. “Nesta.” The old man said, his voice calm and soothing but the storm inside of the girl thundered louder.

She bowed her head, refusing to look at her uncle. “Uncle, I’m so sorry. It was my fault. He turned his back against us.” Nesta thought of the moments they had, the things they’ve done, the jokes, the happiness - the priestess wished that she would wake up from this terrible dream. She looked up, her gaze fixing on the old man. The hurt in his eyes told her that everything was real.

Iroh kept their gaze, his eyes softening at the sight of the weeping priestess. “No, child. It was his choice.” He tried to heat up the crystals but the diamonds proved to be tougher than simply melting metal. The old man averted back his attention to the girl. “and now it’s time to make yours. I know you’ve always struggled with what you are and what you can do, but in this challenges you sought your own way.”

He remembered the times where she struggled to stand up after trainings, her knees wobbly and arms loose. Nesta had a stubbornness to her being and she still wanted to fight Iroh even though she wasn’t able to. He recalled the nights she spent reading the book in her satchel and the moments where she’s trying to test out some new energy bending techniques on the old man. The priestess thought the man never noticed her suppressing his aura. The look on her face when Iroh asked what she was doing was priceless. She started off so unsure of her path but now she was slowly growing into the person he imagined her to become. Nesta was easing into her mold - the mold that she made for herself. It was the stark difference that she had with Zuko. “You left the storm, even if you were crawling, you got through and it is time you move on to greater challenges.”

“Uncle.” Nesta furrowed her brows, her cries mellowed down into soft whimpers. She shook her head in denial, hands wrapping around the crystals that encased her arms. “I can’t leave you, now that we’ve lost Zuko.” The priestess saw all the loose fibers that surrounded them. She suppressed the urge to control the energy, her mind telling that if they broke free she’ll also lose Iroh in the fight.

The old man noticed her eyes scanning her surroundings. He knew she was seeing the energy but she refused to bend them.“Your duty is not to me, it is to your own.” Iroh smiled at the confused figure, the priestess eyes softening at what he said. “I’ll be fine, Nesta. You’ve been such a good student and a lovely niece. I’ll remember you always.”

Nesta heart sank at what the man was implying. The girl bowed as she momentarily thought of Iroh’s words. ‘We’ll always be family even if we’re apart.’ It was a re-run of the lost of her Matron but she knew it had to come to this point. The priestess huffed, the feeling of emotional warmth a fading memory she held on to. Maybe family was always meant to be apart like Iroh to his son and Zuko to his mother. Maybe, it was right for her to leave the nest. Her life ahead promised great turmoil and staying in Ba Sing Se won’t fulfill the fate she had. Zuko had already lost his way, the young woman wasn’t about to lose hers. With a fury to her being, she twisted her palms, commanding the tendrils of the Dai Li energy and slowly brought them down on the diamonds. A whimper ghosted her lips as she felt the crystals sink back unto the earth, the fibers swallowed by the stern soil. Her free legs gave way and her hands went to support the weight of the fall.

It was Iroh who urged her to stand up, his palms cradled her being - the same hands that taught her all the things she’s been applying to her techniques. “A step to rebuilding your court is to side with peace and the Avatar seems troubled with controlling the energy that lives inside him.” He wiped away a stray tear from the girl’s face, a soft smile coming to life at the movement. “It is time, my child. Take courage.”

Nesta nodded at her Uncle’s words. She closed her eyes, the auras once again alive with vibrant spectrums of colors. She sensed a great stir of life energy from the catacombs. All of the tendrils went towards the tunnel and into the sheer power of what was happening in there. It must have been the Avatar unlocking his state. The priestess broke free from Iroh’s hold. “We have to help him.” The duo ran to where the commotion was but their timing was unfortunate.

Nesta’s eyes widened as she saw Azula direct lightning at Aang. It circled the energy column, homing itself at the Avatar’s heart. She saw how the power that once surrounded him broke free of his hold, the spiritual essence slowly flickering into a dying flame as the boy fell. “Raava!” The priestess was in a state of shock, her fingers paused in front of her and her mind blank. She urged herself to think of a possible way to revive the spirit of the Avatar. The girl gulped. She recalled the rumor of a lady giving back the life of the moon and thought if it was possible to give the small spiritual part of her back to Raava.

Iroh caught on as he watched the water tribe girl unleash her fury. “If you do this Nesta.” He warned. “You’ll lose the connection between you and Zeitu.”

Nesta knew that. She knew that if she gave up her spirit she wouldn’t be able to see the past or the future anymore. She’d lose Zeitu’s parting gift to their court but she’d still have the thing that made her into a fighter - her will and energy. It was a simple sacrifice to keep the hope of the world a float. Even if they’ll revive the Avatar, if she doesn’t do this, Raava’s spirit would still be wounded and dying. The priestess was firm with her decision, they were losing so much time. “It has to be done, Uncle.” She jumped off the cliff, running towards Aang as she collected a plethora of free energy to boost her trek. The body was grabbed by the screaming Water tribe girl riding her bended wave. Nesta checked for the Avatar’s pulse, ignoring the weird stare she got from his friend. It was weak, but so was the spirit that resided in him. “We have to revive him. His spirit is dying.”

“Go! I’ll hold them off!” Iroh jumped off, throwing fire balls at the enemies. Nesta’s pursed her lips to hold off the tears as she watched his uncle struggle with the benders. “Go Nesta! There’s not much time!”

The girl nodded as she gestured for the water bender to move. They ran to the falls, fashioning the water like a rope to haul them upward. Nesta mimicked the movement with the water bender’s fibers, her hands were slippery at first and the tendrils were hard to manage but she pushed herself to bend the foreign element she never had the chance to accustom herself with.

The priestess took one final glance at Zuko.

Golden eyes stared at her - eyes filled with hatred and a hint of unexplainable guilt.

He looked away.

* * *

 

Katara bended the spirit water into Aang’s being.

The boy’s eyes twitched, his heart once again steadying into a stable rhythm. She took a hold of the Avatar with tears wetting her face as she examined the damage done by Azula. Burnt skin now tainted his back and feet, a grim reminder of how close to permanent death he had come to that day. Aside from those, there was something not quite right with Aang. Even though she had already revived him, his body still felt lifeless against her.

The girl from the catacombs approached her figure with haste. She grabbed Katara’s shoulder, a troubled look crossing her freckled face. “I need to heal the spirit in him.” She gestured hurriedly to the dull arrows of the boy. The water bender didn’t understand what she was saying but based on Toph’s look and Sokka’s tensed posture from the driver’s seat, it had to be important. The young woman stepped back, though reluctantly, and provided space for the strange girl.

Her silver hair had shone through from all the splashing that happened earlier. She missed how each strand caught the moonlight and how her hair would harbor treasured memories she can revisit. Too bad she was about to risk it all. Nesta gulped down all her fear as she placed her finger on the Avatar’s forehead and heart. She took a deep sigh, shutting out all of her senses one by one. The girl saw darkness with the lost of her sight and felt cold at the absence of her touch. The priestess continued to shut off her other senses until she was left with her mental walls and the aura that attached itself to her body.

It was dull compared to the last time she saw its magnificence. A kite like creature rested in the middle of his mind, it’s transparency catching the girl off guard. Nesta hurriedly walked her way to where the spirit was located. She placed a firm hand on one of it’s side. Raava felt cold.

“Raava.” She called out. “I must do this.” The priestess told it more to herself rather than to the spirit

A weak feminine voice resounded through out the empty space. “You are Zeitu’s child.” Nesta nodded at what the disembodied sound said. “and you are willing to give up your spiritual ancestry so that I can live.” The kite stirred in its position, a weak spiritual strand finding its way on her forehead. The priestess closed her eyes. She knew that the spirit was about to enter her mind. She read that if the wielder didn’t know how to detach herself from the gnawing presence, the spirit can suck out the entirety of her being. The girl just hoped that she was strong enough to keep up with the power. “The world will remember you for your noble sacrifice.”

Nesta’s mouth parted in pain as Raava begun breaking down her mental walls. From the exterior of her mind, her and Aang’s eyes lit up and a beacon of light came out of their pupils. Sokka had to emergency land the bison because of how powerful the impact was. Katara was panicking, Toph and the Earth King was trying their hardest to calm the girl down even if they’re actually clueless of what’s going on.

Raava slowly ate all the bricks of her mental walls. The priestess felt her arms and limbs unable to move from the middle of her mind, her fingers unresponsive as the spirit devoured every last piece of her second sight. The ancient being then stalked dangerously close to the girl, its mouth agape and its limbs inching forward to grab her body. Nesta let out an ear-piercing scream that made the spirit temporary recoil back. She tried her hardest to wiggle away from her state, the thought of the journey ahead weighing down her shoulders. The priestess had to survive this encounter. She was not about to die giving up her spiritual existence.

She bit her tongue as hard as she can, blood sprouted and her sense of touch slowly eased its way in her. “S-Stop!” Nesta screamed, now prying her arms to move. Raava floated in front of the girl, eyeing the struggle she had with controlling her body. The ancient spirit then opened its mouth to finally feed itself with the girl’s power. It charged at the struggling figure, its limbs bellowed beneath its back.

“No!” When she felt that her senses came back, Nesta ran to meet the spirit. She took a hold of its large mouth, shoving Raava back to the Avatar’s mind and sealing the entry way with the last piece of brick that the spirit left behind.

Nesta collapsed on the ground, breaking free from the position she was holding Aang. Her silver hair dulled down into a dark brown and her beautiful spiritual glow was already gone from her being. Beside her lay the boy, his arrows glowing blue aggressively from the encounter. It mellowed down into a shine until the light was no more.

“I can... feel her.” Toph remarked. The once lightness to the priestess’ body replaced with the weight of a mortal soul.

* * *

 

Zuko stared at the bracelet Nesta gave him.

The prince promised that he will burn any remnant of what he used to be in Ba Sing Se. He started off with the clothes he wore the day of the Avatar’s death. The flames engulfed the earthly color, ashes taken away by the breeze. For a second, the young man forgot about the ornament around his wrist. The silver of Nesta’s hair caught the moonlight, flashing his eyes and earning his attention.

Zuko thought about chucking away the gift, seeing only a string of lies wrapped around him. He didn’t trust her anymore and anything that she had said to the prince was also burnt at the back of his head. “Murder doesn’t fix murder.” The priestess once said to the young man. He believed that maybe, Nesta really had a soft heart to forgive his father so easily. Little did he know that the young woman already knew the fate that awaited Ozai at the hands of the Avatar. Her decision of siding with the bold kid fortified the prince’s suspicions. She wanted to kill his father from the very start. He took another glance at the bracelet. Nesta was a liar who used him to her advantage. She was everything the prince thought she was - an enemy.

So why was it so hard for him to get rid of this stupid bracelet?

“Hey.” A feminine voice called out. Zuko quickly hid the ornament as he heard swift footsteps walk towards his way. ‘I’ll burn it later.’ He thought. The prince craned his neck to the direction of the voice. Mai stalked towards the flame, the stiffness to her movements a memory he truly missed.

Zuko looked away. “Hey.” There was guilt hidden in his tone. He was reminded of the way Nesta called him out for cheating on the stern teen and how she presented her conclusions that his angry mind cannot come up with. The prince let out an exhausted sigh. He needed to stop thinking about her, not with Mai - not with the girl who truly saw him for who he is.

“Can I sit with you?” Mai asked, to which Zuko nodded his silent approval. The young woman swiftly took up the space beside him. There was a second of silence as both teenagers tried to get used to each other. The prince wasn’t used to her presence, a dark brooding aura masked with the grace of a noble. He furrowed his brows as he felt a delicate hand meet his - a stark contrast to rough palms shaped by housework and combat. Zuko met Mai’s eyes, a beautiful tan laced with a signature blank look. “Azula told me you were with a girl in Ba Sing Se.”

The prince was caught off guard by the question but he quickly composed himself. The stern teen waited for his answer, a neat brow raised and her hold on the boy’s hands loosening. “Yeah. She’s...” Zuko gulped. What was Nesta to him, exactly? “...nothing of worth.” Zuko tried to convince himself that she was nothing more than that. He masked the confliction with a small smile. The prince just hoped that Mai was stoic enough to not learn the difference between truths and lies. “I’m sorry for leaving you, Mai.” He admitted, a part of his consciousnesses still caught up with what he had done in Ba Sing Se.

Mai’s sharp features displayed a smile. The stern teen was tough but still had a delicate touch to her. “You don’t have to say sorry, we all need a break every now and then.” She ran her hand through Zuko’s hair, her fingers stopping to cup his face.

“It’s been three years.” The prince inched closer, a long-due thought running in his mind.

Mai leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Their kiss was heated, as if that one action can fill the void they both left three years ago. Zuko eased into her form, his hand went to pull the girl closer as they broke free. “Look, stop worrying.” The girl said. She was as beautiful as a blade in a sword man’s grip and as cunning as death in a sleeper’s bed. Mai was indeed everything that the young man ever wanted. “You’re finally going home.”

Home.

There was a quick sting at the words. The young prince stared at the burning fabric, a remnant of a simpler time, where a certain temple girl found home in his promise. He looked back at Mai. She was his home before he had gone through this turmoil and she will still be his home at the end of the day.

A distraction - that was everything Nesta was to him.


	18. Shadows in Daylight

**SHADOWS IN DAYLIGHT**

* * *

 

Nesta awoke with a sudden jolt.

She gripped the thin blankets, sweat dripping down her forehead and her breathing ragged. It’s been a few weeks since the incident in Ba Sing Se. The young woman struggled with the lost of her connection, a coldness to her being where her spirit would have resided. Her steps were heavy with an unfamiliar weight and her feeling empty - even the friendship offered to her by the Avatar’s friends couldn’t fill the void. Nesta kept her talking to a minimum for the whole duration of the trip. She only answered when asked to, most of the time she didn’t answer at all. The young girl just felt like talking to people was a challenge. After her conclusions in the day of Zuko’s betrayal, what was the use of getting close when you are really meant to be apart? The priestess shook her head. She scanned her surroundings, putting some sense into the gray metal walls and the emblem in front of her. The memories came crashing; they were in a captured Fire Nation ship. Her days had been unbelievably freezing, her body shivered and her teeth clattered.

“You’re awake.” A voice from the corner said. The girl didn’t even flinch when the bold kid revealed himself. It’s like the lost of her spirit caused her to be emotionless that even the most basic feeling of fright never fazed her.

“Avatar.” Nesta held in a shiver. She sat upright, her legs propped and her chin rested on her knees. Her arms went to embrace herself - a sad attempt of trying to salvage some warmth into her being. “You’re awake.” There was not a hint of surprise wrapping her tone. The priestess already got used to the huskiness of her voice. It was something that came forth from her hours of a silenced mouth.

Aang noticed the young woman shiver. He stalked to the corner where a candle burned furiously. “I was meaning to ask you something.”

The Avatar drew near with the burning object in hand. There was a limp to his steps, the girl noticed. His bandaged up chest was a proof of his untimely death and the heights she and Katara took to save him from it. The monk placed the candle beside the priestess. Nesta sighed in relief at temporary the warmth it brought. She gestured for the kid to sit down and nodded her head to signal her approval. “In Ba Sing Se, I saw you in my mind. You... you were a spirit and you let Raava take away your essence.”

The priestess raised her brow. “Get to the question.” She snapped, some venom to her tone where there shouldn’t have been. The girl didn’t want to remember the events that happened on that very day. It’s been weeks but the wound was still fresh and vivid as if it only happened yesterday.

Aang gulped. He was silent for a moment, trying to rephrase his thoughts to a more harmless question. The boy knew that Nesta was good but maybe the sudden change of composition led her to this. She was more snappy than the last time they talked. That was back in Ba Sing Se. “Why did you do it?” He figured that she was a whole other person that time. Somehow, as Aang stared back at her lifeless blue eyes, Nesta looked so much older.

“You are the Avatar, the world needs you more than it needs me.” The priestess stretched her legs and tried to move her fingers. The monk watched her make circular movements with her wrists as she eased into a more relaxed position. Her shoulders were still tensed but her expression mellowed down to something that resembled nostalgia. “I have no use for my spiritual origins anyway.” It was not entirely a lie. She realized that seeing the future and revisiting the past only made her fear the present. Second sight was her court’s gift for so long and it is composed of centuries of knowledge passed down to each High Priestess. However, they were approaching a new age and Nesta’s decision was vital for them to move on - for her to move on.

“Is it because you know the future and you’re really supposed to save me?” A genuine question. Aang always wondered how High Priestesses fill their days with the knowledge of tomorrow.

The priestess almost laughed at the question. Her lips tried to conjure a small smile but the line of her mouth never reached a full curve. She gazed at the Avatar, the blue arrows on his face a stark contrast to the brown of his hair. “My power is limited to the vision and not to the path. I saw a version of Ozai’s future. It’s not entirely true until you make it true.” Nesta noticed the confusion in the boy’s eyes. “Destiny is ever changing, Avatar. If you’re going to ask me to look into your palms, I won’t and I can’t. I lost it when I tried to revive you.”

Aang bowed, feeling a little more intimidated than usual. His curiosity still shone through the fear of insulting the young woman. He shyly raised his hands as he urged himself to open his lips. “Another question, if you may?” The monk reluctantly asked but was encouraged to do as soon as the young woman nodded again. “Raava controlled you. How did you break free?”

It was weird that he asked that. Nesta furrowed her brows. That was the first time Aang saw her display an obvious emotion since Ba Sing Se. “I assume that you know how to break free from the spirit. You’re the Avatar.” She said, her whisper a curse to the young boy.

Aang immediately looked away. His hand went to his heart as he recalled the moment it stopped beating. He let go of Katara that night, only to find himself dying under Azula’s arms. “I... I don’t. I don’t know how to.” He was embarrassed to admit it but the boy knew he had to. He was about to ask the help of a person whose mind was powerful enough to shove away Raava. “I can’t control the Avatar state.”

Nesta pursed her lips. She didn’t let her surprise show but her evident disappointment mirrored the blue of her eyes. The priestess strategically sunk deeper into her bed. The light moving away from her face and slowly bled into walls. “It’s a matter of controlling your energy and the essence of your power.” She recalled how she battled the spirit with a screaming fit. If the girl hesitated in that moment, she was dead for sure. “It’s energy bending in a way but it involves the finality of your decision.”

Aang nodded even though he didn’t understand a thing. He figured that maybe, the girl can teach him how to control his Avatar state. He stood up with a grunt, his wounds slightly stinging as the monk bowed in front of the lying figure. Nesta raised her brows at that. “I want you to teach me. I can’t summon my Avatar state and I can’t save the world without it.” He was reminded of the things she said, how her court used to be the Avatar’s mentors.

The priestess moved a little towards the boy. “You doubt yourself.” Aang looked up to see her piercing stare fueled with hurt and something else. Her blue eyes looked to the side, making the unknown emotion clear enough for the boy to recoil back. It was fear. Nesta sighed, weighing the possibilities of their training going wrong. “I... I can teach you, but I can’t guarantee your victory against the Fire Lord.” She said, a hint of doubt shone through her voice.

Aang stood up. “I know.” He rounded the corner as he watched the girl stir in her bed, the priestess turning to face the wall. The monk knew that she was already out of the conversation. Katara told him about her rude tendencies of ending talks. For the young boy, it didn’t really feel like she was rude, Nesta just didn’t know what to say. “but I’ll try still.”

“Good.” Her raspy voice, once so joyous and filled with life, resounded through out the room.

Aang momentarily stopped, his hands on the knob and his eyes looking back to the sleeping figure. “Thank you for... for saving me.”

Nesta clenched her fists, her body tensing at the words. “Katara saved you, I saved Raava.”

“Thanks, anyway.” The young boy then left the room.

The priestess was alone with her thoughts again. She shifted so that she was laying on her back and her eyes were staring at the ceiling. The girl knew that she did not just only saved the Avatar and his spirit, she saved the world from losing its only hope. In doing so, she lost hers.

Somehow at the back of her mind, Nesta was too afraid to admit that she was part of the ordeal, knowing that Zuko was on the trail of destroying what she had saved.

* * *

Morning came too quickly.

The priestess thought of opening her book to read some new passages from Cassandra’s writings. She’s been learning how to control greater sources of energy other than a bender’s life form. The girl couldn’t rely much on her combat now that her body was cold all the time. Nesta had accessed the energy of the moon through a series of trials and errors on stormy nights. It was hard at first, the tendrils passing through her palms and returning to the space. Her mind narrowed at the possibility of encasing the fibers with her own life energy. It was reminiscent of how bender’s bend their element, the only difference would be their unlimited source of energy and a much firmer grip on water. When she found out that it worked, the priestess calmed the storm, the water responding effortlessly to the moon’s call. That night, she passed out under the rain from the overuse of her life form. Nesta would never do that again, but it was comforting to know that she can bend water without snatching stray tendrils from Katara’s aura.

The girl sighed as she stood up to look for her satchel. Her vision suddenly blurred, her hands commanding itself to grab her own temples. The priestess stumbled back to her bed. What in the spirit’s was that? She felt a powerful stir in the energy of the water, as if a beast awoke deep within the ocean.

The door creaked open.

Nesta sunk deeper into her bed. She tried to ignore the presence that entered the room and focused on figuring out what was slumbering underneath them. “Hey, Nesta? You want to get some breakfast?” It was Katara that entered the space. The young priestess planted her feet flat on the floor and zoned out the voice. “Nesta?” It persisted.

“What.” Nesta snapped, turning to finally face the water bender.

Katara jumped at the sudden action. Her hands went to her heart, a shocked expression gracing her face. “I just wanted to ask you something, calm down.” She knew of the girl’s ever changing mood. For the past few weeks, the priestess would slip in and out of human contact, completely locking herself in her room. They found her soaking wet on the deck one time and she had stumbled to a fever the night after. Katara approached the sitting figure and felt for her temperature. It was unbelievably cold.

Nesta sighed as she watched the girl’s hand jerk away. She toned down her voice and tried to fix her mental walls. The girl was surprised to see that the bricks were gone, a memory of what she sacrificed in Ba Sing Se. “What is it.” Her voice mellowed down into a considerable tone.

The water bender’s hands went to stroke her own hair. She took a few steps backward, seizing the opportunity to talk to the young woman. “Um, well, your name...”

“What of it.” Nesta looked away as she felt the weight shift on her bed. It’s been so long since the last time she was alone with a girl. Katara was sitting next to her - her aura reminiscent of the friendly servants they had back in their court. The priestess would have welcomed the presence if it was not for her fear getting the best of her.

“It’s ah..” The water bender scanned the room for any indicator of Nesta’s origins. She had never seen her carry anything from the poles. The only stuff she had was her satchel and a worn out earth kingdom cape she had the pleasure of keeping. “It’s kind of a water tribe name?”

Nesta raised a brow at that. “What are you implying.” She was reminded of how tribe warriors would pick out a girl to marry at the right age. Sokka was not far off, maybe a few moons younger than her, but he was indeed a young man though it was more of the lanky side that shone through. The priestess scoffed at the thought. “I’m not going to date your brother, Katara.” She said, her voice void of any emotion.

Katara blushed at the thought. She shook her hands, denying the words as quickly as it flew out of Nesta’s lips. “No! I just wanted to ask you if you’re from the water tribe and if you know something about the poles!”

“I was born of a water tribe woman but I was born in Ba Sing Se.” The priestess said. “I’ve never seen the poles.” Nesta knew she wasn’t born of a water tribe woman like her Matron used to tell her. She was born of Zeitu, the spirit of time, a much more superior being but still dodged the same responsibility her fictional water tribe mother had - to nurture their child.

“and your father is water tribe?” The water bender tried to push her limits just a little bit.

Nesta stood up, surprising the other girl once again. She walked to where her satchel was located and began rummaging through her stuff. “No, but it doesn’t matter now, all those things are lies anyway.” The girl paused, her eyes slightly looking back to solidify her suspicion. She reached in for her ancient book. Her eyes picking up where she had last stopped reading. “Why do you want to know?”

“To get to know you?” Katara shrugged it off. It was more than that; she wanted to learn if she was fit enough to be a master.

Nesta continued with what she was doing. She batted a lazy eye at the girl, disregarding her presence completely. “I don’t need you guys prying into my personal space.” There was a bitterness to her tone that made the water bender twitch in annoyance.

Katara huffed, all her self control was about to tumble down. The priestess just proved to her that she was shunning them away. It’s like she didn’t want anything to do with them! It’s been like this for weeks and there’s still no improvement. “Look, Nesta, we don’t know anything about you or your powers. Aang told me you agreed to teach him ‘energy bending’ which I didn’t know was an element until yesterday!” The young water bender did air apostrophes to further emphasize her point.

Nesta momentarily stopped what she was reading. She clenched her fists, feeling the rage inside of her swirling up into a spiral. The priestess tried to suppress it, rotating the shift of her aura back to its original color. A deep sigh followed suit. There was no use to getting mad; the people around her was just as confused as she was. “It’s not an element and I know you’ve encountered energy.” Nesta said bluntly as if it was basic knowledge. “You use it in your healing.”

“That’s not the case. I’m trying to make sure that you know what you’re doing with him and that you’re physically up to it.” Katara reached in to grab the girl’s shoulder. Maybe she just needed some positive reinforcement to cheer her up.

The priestess stopped her mid-touch. “I’m good.” She shoved the young woman’s hand away more forcibly than she intended to do. “Now leave me alone.” Cold but true. Nesta felt the weird presence draw nearer to the ship. She had to find out what it was and why was it moving towards them. The girl closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling of the raw energy swirling at the bottom of the ocean.

However, Katara thought it was a rude gesture and she didn’t feel like dealing with that kind of attitude. She took some water from her canister and tried to whip the book away from the girl’s hands. The priestess was caught off-guard, she watched as one page flew out of her hands and into the floor below. The young woman turned around and was met by an angry water bender who was posed to hit her. “No, I won’t leave you alone! You’re part of the team now and if your mind is not conducive enough to teach Aang then it’s useless. Your problem is our problem, too!”

Useless. The word hit home. Nesta swiped the fallen page with such fury that made Katara step back. She wasn’t useless, she was more powerful than before and she can overpower any bender if she wanted to - if she needed to. “Do you know how important this book is?! It’s my only access to my bending knowledge and you ruined it!” Nesta reached for the water bender’s energy, her anger clouding her judgement once again. Her mortal energy stirred inside of her, a calm blue shifting into a furious red in just a second. Katara squirmed against the hold.

“Nesta..!” She called out, her knees wobbly from the lost of energy. “I-I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t fix anything!” The girl screamed as tears threatened to prickle her eyes. She watched as the water bender struggled to move towards her, a unexplainable rage washing over her being. Nesta tightened her hold on her energy, squeezing even the muscles of her body. She was reminded of how Zuko called her useless and she wanted to prove them wrong. She wanted to prove him wrong. Katara’s eyes watered but she still continued to approach the girl. When she was sure they were close enough for any physical contact, the bender threw her arms around her.

It was an attempt of an hug.

Nesta’s hands faltered as she realized how warm the girl’s body was against hers. Her mind revisited the memory of a warm day, where she first found home in the arms of someone else. Her blue eyes widened, the cloud of anger escaping her being and the actions she did came crashing at her. Katara tightened the hug, her own tears wet against the green of the girl’s robes. “I-I... I understand you.” She was reminded of how Aang first reacted at the Southern Air Temple when he found out about the death of his people. Nesta came to have a similar history, her hurt amplified by the loss of her spirit.

As the situation dawned upon her, the priestess realized she was a monster. Why would Katara forgive someone who threatened to kill her? The young woman pushed her away, her arms went to wipe the stray tears on her face. “Leave me.” It was a grave whisper against the silence. “Please.” The water bender’s eyes met hers, the icy blues mirrored a look of suffering and fear.

Katara stood up. She respected her decisions but there was something in her that was concerned about the the capabilities of the priestess. “D-Do you want anything?” The girl’s voice was shaky from tears. Nesta needed time to reconnect with her purpose but they were short on that so she had to do it fast.

“No. Thank you.” When she heard the door close, the priestess slumped against the floor. She placed a hand on her mouth to muffle the sobs that came from the realization of what she had succumbed to.

It was cold once again.

The fear and anger resounded in her mind, void of any mental walls to silence them.


	19. When Morning comes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have to ease the updates into every sunday because I’m returning to my college dorm pretty soon.Thank you for all the support and love for this fic! We’re now at 500 views! wohoo!

**WHEN MORNING COMES**

* * *

 

“ _Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment._ ”

* * *

Nesta had already gave up finding out about the presence.

She sat beside her bed, the ancient book haphazardly placed with an attempt to salvage the ripped page. The priestess decided to sew together the paper - a generally bad idea at first. When she finally realized that the needle and thread was getting her nowhere, she stared at the punctured holes with resentment. Nesta closed the book. Her stomach grumbled, hands grabbing her tummy to somehow suppress the sound. She didn’t want to be near Katara at the moment, not after what she had done to her. It was fear that hindered her feet to walk and it was fear that gobbled up a hefty amount of her time.

However, Nesta thought, fear can’t feed a hungry mouth.

She stood up and approached the hall. The presence at the bottom of the ocean bothered the pace she fell into it. The priestess shrugged it off. Maybe it was a turtle-shark or some lonely creature meant to feed on lost sailors. It was unusually silent that morning. There was supposed to be a crowd just outside the deck where breakfast is served for the past few days. Since the fever, Nesta had the pleasure of not joining the talks. Katara and the chef brought her food in her room. She took a reroute and went directly to the kitchen because of that.

Just when the girl rounded the corner, there was a loud clash of metal on metal. The ship shook, the priestess momentarily losing her balance at the movement. There was another impact, and then another, Nesta ran to where the ruckus was happening. She was surprised to see fog and confused people staring at it. The girl saw Toph amidst the thickness of the haze.

“What’s happening!” She screamed, her vocal chords stinging at the very action.

The blind girl opened her mouth but was silenced by a flaming ball of metal homed directly at the ship. Nesta’s eyes widened as her hands automatically went to grab some lose fibers. She didn’t have time to segregate water from fire and just threw it at the incoming metal work. It bounced off with a huge effort, the sound hurting her ears more than it intended to. Nesta felt winded after that. She saw another flaming ball, her feet running towards it and her hands commanding the tendrils of energy to be her armor. The priestess threw herself at the metal. She stumbled back a few steps, the water energy getting exhausted more quickly than the priestess thought. The girl went head on and deflected the twirling ball, she rerouted it at the ocean where it fell to its doom.

“That was idiotic!” A male voice screamed but Nesta paid no heed to whatever hate she was getting. She went in ball after ball, her feet and arms falling into a dangerous rhythm, her aura swirling up and down with every hit she took. There were a few that she missed. Katara watered down the flames with her bending.

When the thick fog cleared up, it revealed another Fire Nation ship pursuing after them. Nesta was about to deflect a ball, Sokka’s screams resounding in the background, when the energy at the bottom of the ocean set into focus. It reached the waters near their ship. A majestic ocean serpent with scales of aqua green surfaced. For a moment, it stared at the priestess with a scream on its mouth, eyes piercing as if the creature was staring into her soul. The metal work must have hit it somehow, Nesta watched as a stray ball come into contact with its face. The serpent screeched as it slithered to the other ship, wrapping itself around and slowing it off.

The priestess let out an exhausted sigh as she slumped to the ground. She was getting weaker and weaker with each use of her life form. It was the toll of her mortal spirit - an exhaustion to her body that was never there before. She felt a small warm hand wrap around one of her arms. The girl looked up, it was Toph. She had a distant look to her face, blind eyes staring at the scene in front of them. Katara went to meet Sokka and Aang while Hakoda commanded his men to do a check up on the ship.

“We have to do repairs. We’ll dock at the nearest Island.” The chief said. There was a sternness to his voice that had a profound effect on the priestess. It reminded her so much of the snippets of memories she had with her supposed Father - a role that Iroh filled out in just few months. He averted his attention to Nesta whose body language displayed every intention to leave. “It’s better if you kids stay together.” Hakoda nodded to his children before leaving the scene.

“Hey.” Toph tapped Nesta’s shoulder. Her fingers felt heavy for a girl her age and her palms surprisingly rough from earth bending. “Are you planning to sit in the middle all day or are we going to join them?”

Standing up proved to be a hard task for the temple girl. She forced her feet together with a grunt. The priestess masked her pain with her drowsy eyes and nonchalant stare. She turned her heel away from the teens, walking to the opposite direction where Toph was heading. The blind girl felt her body shift consequently. “Hey! ghost girl, It’s actually this way.” The kid pointed to where Aang, Katara and Sokka was watching.

“Nesta.” The water tribe boy raised a questioning brow at the girl’s action. He called out when he noticed that the priestess was still walking away from them. “Where are you going?”

Nesta stopped right on her tracks. She felt her knees go weak and her feet tremble with her weight. The girl clenched her fist. “I’m hungry.” There was a pang of bitterness wrapping her tone. It came with the physical exhaustion she felt at the moment.

Aang watched as his friend’s face morph into an annoyed one at the response. He had hoped that that his new energy master was more interactive than she was today. Sokka stepped forward. “Did you not hear what dad said? We need to stick together.” He took a few more strides towards the girl but was immediately stopped by Toph. _‘It’s not worth it’_ the blind girl mouthed. The young man just ignored her advice and screamed from his place. “Is there something wrong with us that you prefer to be alone? Listen here, Nesta, we’re keeping you in the team because of Aang and not because we want you to save the day with your insufferable attitude.”

“Sokka!” His sister exclaimed but it did not reach his ears.

Sokka tuned in to the small movement. Nesta’s face slightly craned to the direction of the teens, a frown plastered on it. “What are you going to do now? Bend my energy to death? You can’t. I’m not a bender!”

The priestess let out a mocking scoff. She knew that she can still hold Sokka’s aura even when he’s not a bender. Energy runs deep within the veins of people, even the very blood that flowed produced a sprout of energy essential to their body’s balance. “I’ll be in my room.”

“Why I oughta-!” Sokka raised a threatening hand towards the girl. Aang was quick enough to stop his friend from throwing a punch at the retreating figure.

“Let her go.” He said, reassuring himself that she’ll get better as time progress. Aang felt a stinging pain in the area where his burn was located. He doubled over, Katara catching his fall as soon as he grabbed his torso.

The water tribe boy was still furious but he batted an apologetic look towards the Avatar. “You need to rest.” His gaze then directed itself to the empty space where the young woman had been. It’s been weeks now and they still had no progress on finding out who she really is. They had a history with Zuko for sure and it might be possible that she was a spy. However, Nesta was terrible at gaining information as much as she was giving out. Sokka debated on whether they will keep her in the team or they’ll leave her in the next dock.

Somehow, both of the ideas didn’t sound too bright.

* * *

Sokka was surprised to hear loud knocks at his door.

It was past their bed time and the sound seemed to have come from a hurried hand. The water tribe boy drowsily opened the door, revealing a determined Katara who held what seemed to be Aang’s cape. Her face showed an expression of panic, her hands trembling and her eyes still wet from shedded tears. “Aang’s gone.”

The young man furrowed his brows. It took him a moment to process what his sister said. As soon as he realized that the Avatar was missing, he grabbed the water bender’s shoulders and shook her gently as if to nudge her awake. “We have to leave. He won’t be too far.”

Both of the siblings ran towards Toph’s room. The young earth bender volunteered to wake up Appa to prepare the beast for the long flight. It was raining outside the ship but Sokka persisted that they start their journey as soon as the skies mellow down into a shower. Katara nodded at his words, she turned her heel away from the young man and began walking the opposite direction of the deck.

The water tribe boy raised a questioning brow. “Where are you going?” He grabbed his sister’s arm before she could go any further.

“I’ll wake up Nesta.” The water bender said as she returned her brother’s look.

“Nesta?” Sokka pursed his lips. He didn’t suppress a disapproving grunt. “You’re seriously bringing her?” The water tribe boy motioned for his sister to help with the packing up of things. He didn’t feel comfortable around the girl and he knew that Katara wasn’t that far off either. Sokka frowned at the water bender’s persistence to keep the priestess on their team.

“She needs to know.” The young girl said as she wriggled out of his grasp.

“Fine then.” The young man said. “I’m coming with you. I won’t risk her repeating the same thing she did to you this morning.”

The walk towards Nesta’s room was filled with silence. Katara stiffened each time her brother would breath and Sokka’s eyes would narrow each time his sister would slow down. They both have different views of the girl they were about to approach and they both have a role to decide whether they’ll still keep her in the team. The water bender thought that they were doing this for Aang. What’s important is that the Avatar can learn more about his spiritual counterpart before he goes to war. The young man thought differently, they had the energy guru after all and Nesta wasn’t that of an asset to their team.

Sokka was the one to knock on her door. As soon as his hands disconnected from the door, they both heard a grave “Come in.”. The siblings opened the way to her room. Nesta was sitting in the middle of the metal space, a candle illuminated her surrounding. Her face was contorted into a look of concentration and her legs were crossed against the floor. She breathed in the life forms that welcomed her, temporary disrupting the connection to the fibers. “I sensed a stir in the energy ahead.”

Katara’s hands went to grab his brother’s arms, just to be sure that he wasn’t going todo anything drastic with it. The young man stared at the priestess, her eyes were a piercing icy blue against the darkness. “We’re leaving as soon as the rain mellows.”

Nesta frowned at the suggestion. It was the first time the siblings saw her face fully crinkle into an emotion, her freckled skin was pale against the flame of the candle but her aura more daunting than before. “We leave when the waves calm. It’s too risky.” She inhaled, the power to her lungs surprising the young man. Sokka noticed how alive she looked in the dark. The water tribe boy stare ahead, the moon was at its fullest that night. Nesta played with the tendrils of the celestial body, weaving her life form with its ethereal glow and replenishing her aura with it.

Katara nudged his brother. “It’s best we follow what she says.”

“Aang might be too far away.” Sokka growled, not really agreeing to what the girl had in mind.

“I homed on his energy but it’s quite fuzzy with all the water drops.” Nesta stood up, a thin straight line now gracing her lips. She walked past the water bender, her stern body language faltering just a bit at the proximity of her energy. The priestess then faced the water tribe boy. He stared at her with eyes void of any emotions, hers mirroring the same look. “but if you want to leave now, ask your sister to calm the storm.” She gave him a challenging look, her emotionless eyes shifting to one of arrogance.

Nesta continued walking away from the bunch. She joined Toph on packing up some of their stuff, her satchel swinging at her back with every movement. The priestess paid no heed to whatever reaction she will get from the siblings. The blind girl was kind enough to not bother her with an explanation, a trait she found endearing the very least. Katara and Sokka joined them shortly, a heaviness to their steps and a question on one of their lips.

“Can you sense Aang now?” The water bender asked, the ship steadying as the ocean bows to the energy of the moon. Nesta raised a brow at the power. It clearly wasn’t from Katara.

The priestess climbed on top of the beast, weaving it’s aura to trust the young girl rather than to shy away from it. Her fingers were trembling as she held the ropes but her mind remained firm with the idea of stirring the pack. “Let’s go.” The fibers of the moon encased her being as the teens climb aboard. Sokka was doubtful of the decision of letting her fly Appa but Toph assured him that it was going to be fine. Soon enough, the wind slapped painfully against Nesta’s skin but the rush in her was overwhelming.

It’s been a while since she last felt alive.

To Sokka’s protests, the priestess volunteered to take up the first watch with Katara. Both of the girls sat awake as the sounds of waves crashing filled the night. The water bender was the first to break the silence. “If you’re just going to ignore us completely, then you shouldn’t have agreed to join us.” It was a question masked by the statement. The water tribe girl watched as the priestess stirred every so slightly in the front. Nesta placed a palm on top of the beast’s fur, comforting the howls of a tiresome flight. She paid no attention to the statement, concluding that it did not need an answer. “Nesta, I’m talking to you.” Katara huffed.

The priestess looked back for a second. She stared at the hopeful water bender, a thin straight line gracing her lips. The other kids were fast asleep, Sokka’s snores a nuisances to their conversation. Nesta returned her gaze to the ocean ahead of them. “and let the people lose its only hope? Detach Raava to the Avatar?” Her voice came out more venomous than anticipated. It did not shock her anymore, the way her vocal chords relayed messages reflected how she saw her life. “I gave up so much so that your ‘friend’ can save the world. Give me a break, won’t you?” It was a request to stop her from talking.

“We gave up our lives to help Aang.” Katara pressed the issue. She forgave her for the slip up this morning but she still had to convince the priestess that working alone didn’t exactly help with what they were about to do. Nesta had to trust them like how the water bender trusts her with the decisions. “It’s almost a month, Nesta, and you’re avoiding us.”

A month. It hurt her to think that it’s almost been a month since Ba Sing Se happened. Her hands went to grab her heart, an unexplainable sting catching her off-guard. “and in that month I lost my court, my duty and my only family. I’ve resigned myself to lose everything that my Matron and those before her had worked hard for.” The scar was still fresh, it was evident on how the words left the girl’s lips with such weight. “You have to understand, It’s not easy for me to suffer alone.”

Katara’s heart sank at what she said. ‘Alone.’ The word echoed in her mind. Did Nesta seriously think that she was here to suffer alone? They had offered her a place in the team and a bond that can be forged but she completely shut them out. Now she’s complaining about suffering alone? “We can’t deal with that kind of attitude anymore.”

The priestess nodded gravely. She knew they didn’t want her on her team, Sokka made it nice and clear this morning. “As soon as Aang finishes his training, I’ll leave.” It would be short and quick, she just had to skim through the basics and hope that the Avatar was smart enough to channel his life form. “Just go sleep, I need silence to track him down.” A lie. She can see his aura so clearly, maybe because the spirit he had once lived inside of her.

The water bender didn’t meant it that way. She crossed her arms, the breeze now colder as they flew closer to the waters. “or maybe it’s because your avoiding me.”

Nesta gritted her teeth as she put out her arm down to aid her stance. “What’s your problem!” She stood up, Appa complaining lightly as the priestess tried to balance herself despite the wind wanting to throw her away. She presented a hand in front of her and quickly maneuvered the energy of the cooling waves to silence the breeze. She grabbed the warmth from it, suppressing the uneven heating and wrapping them up with her life form.

“You’re my problem.” Katara answered back from her position, she grabbed the sides of the saddle, feeling the beast getting uncomfortable with the state of stillness the energy bender bestowed upon them. “We’re all in this together, Nesta. Don’t act as if you’re the only person who can help Aang. There’s the team for a reason.” She gazed at the fury of the priestess. Her icy blue menacing under the moonlight.

Nesta noticed Appa slightly swaying. She sighed, letting go of the fibers of warmth to insinuate the heat once again. Soon enough, the breeze returned and her body felt colder than before. She graced herself, knees hitting the head of the beast with a light thump. “I don’t want to be part of your team.” The priestess attempted to hug herself. Appa roared in protest of her fall.

The water bender noticed the sudden weakness overcoming her. “Is it because you’re scared of attachment?” She was about to approach the priestess, her arms ready to welcome the coldness to the girl’s being.

In that moment, she thought of Zuko and Iroh and how they left her. Her family, the only ones she looked up to, gone like her spirit. “Stop.” She raised a hand. It was not threatening in a way. The girl didn’t want Katara to see how miserable she was and how her loneliness was the result of her own fear - of her own loathing. “Stop right there. I don’t want to hurt you again.” Nesta told it more to herself. Every time she got close to someone, there was pain.

The water bender sat down. Her memories revisited the death of her mother and her father’s journey northward. She knew that the pain it caused her was out of love. Katara will never forget how the loss shaped her to who she was today. “Some people are bound to hurt you. You just have to understand where their actions come from.” She grabbed her necklace as she stared at the outline of the priestess’ back. There was fear and mourning in her - anger and confusion that clouded her judgement. The water bender saw through that and forgave her for what she had done that morning.

Katara’s voice was comforting against the loudness of the breeze. “Try to open up. I know your relationships have been rocky, but this people in front of you are willing to get to know who you are.” Nesta’s eyes traveled to the pack. From the weeks she’s been with them, she’d known a lot about the Avatar’s friends than what she learned about Zuko. Maybe because there was no mystery to their pasts, no secrets holding them back, no shadows chasing after them - they found peace with the company of each other. The priestess only wished that the same may happen to her.

The water bender smiled at longing look Nesta had. “I want you to let go of your past hatreds and forge a new future for yourself.” The priestess lips pursed into a straight line. “I want you to live, Nesta.”

“I’ll...” The young girl tightened her hold on the ropes. She stared at her hands, once soft with shallow lines, now deep with curves and paths formed with time. Maybe, losing her spirit was one step closer to becoming more in-tuned with the world. She had to rebuild herself before she rebuilds her court. But first, the world needs their Avatar and the priestess was one of the very few to help him hold his power. It’s a responsibility her court had long forgotten and it is a responsibility she must full fill. “I’ll think about it.” In that moment, she vowed to herself to let go of the people who pained her - she had to let go of Zuko. It was essential to throw away the weight of his actions for her to move on.

She was mortal now but if becoming a mortal came with the price of saving the future, Nesta would do it again. All for the sake of her court and the people she loved. “Take your time.” Katara smiled as she settled on the back of the saddle.

Nesta never knew how time flew so fast, she only recalled the joyful shouts when they found a breathing body on the shore. The Avatar lay peacefully against the volcano with a realization to his being, and a resignation to Sokka’s plan. The water tribe boy smiled as the priestess let out a loud yawn at the back.

“Thanks.” Sokka said, his hand patting the girl’s back.

Nesta smiled sleepily at the boy. It caught him off-guard for a second, the gentle curvature of a frowning face replaced with the beauty of a small smile. He grinned to himself, Katara narrowing her eyes at his brother as she aided the priestess. The water tribe boy knew that his sister talked her out of the lonely slump Nesta had been. He was happy to see that priestess cared after all, sacrificing a night of sleep just to look for Aang.

“What.” Sokka screamed as Katara’s eyes squinted at him. “I have Suki already, do you seriously think I’d cheat on her!”

Maybe, Nesta thought as the sounds of bickering lulled her to sleep, she’ll look at her life in a better perspective with the help of these people.

Maybe, she had to try again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading! It’s my first time posting in the fandom. 
> 
> Reviews are appreciated. Thanks! :)
> 
> Join our discord server here! —> https://discord.gg/JV8w69p


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